This paper presents DELPHI measurements and interpretations of cross-sections, forward-backward asymmetries, and angular distributions, for the e+e- -> ffbar process for centre-of-mass energies above the Z resonance, from sqrt(s) ~ 130 - 207 GeV at the LEP collider. The measurements are consistent with the predictions of the Standard Model and are used to study a variety of models including the S-Matrix ansatz for e+e- -> ffbar scattering and several models which include physics beyond the Standard Model: the exchange of Z' bosons, contact interactions between fermions, the exchange of gravitons in large extra dimensions and the exchange of sneutrino in R-parity violating supersymmetry.

Hadron production and lepton-pair production in e+e- collisions are studied with data collected with the L3 detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies sqrt{s}=192-208GeV. Using a total integrated luminosity of 453/pb, 36057 hadronic events and 12863 lepton-pair events are selected. The cross sections for hadron production and lepton-pair production are measured for the full sample and for events where no high-energy initial-state-radiation photon is emitted prior to the collisions. Lepton-pair events are further investigated and forward-backward asymmetries are measured. Finally, the differential cross sections for electron-positron pair-production is determined as a function of the scattering angle. An overall good agreement is found with Standard Model predictions.

Cross-section and angular distributions for hadronic and lepton-pair final states in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies between 189 GeV and 209 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. The measurements are used to determine the electromagnetic coupling constant alphaem at LEP2 energies. In addition, the results are used together with OPAL measurements at 91-183 GeV within the S-matrix formalism to determine the gamma-Z interference term and to make an almost model-independent measurement of the Z mass. Limits on extensions to the Standard Model described by effective four-fermion contact interactions or the addition of a heavy Z boson are also presented.

Measurements of the tau lepton polarization and forward-backward polarization asymmetry near the Z resonance using the OPAL detector are described. The measurements are based on analyses of tau -> e nu_e nu_tau, tau -> mu nu_mu nu_tau, tau -> pi nu_tau, tau -> rho nu_tau and tau -> a1 nu_tau decays from a sample of 144810 e+e- -> tau+ tau- candidates corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 151 pb-1. Assuming that the tau lepton decays according to V-A theory, we measure the average tau polarization near Ecm = MZ to be <Ptau> = (-14.10 +/- 0.73 +/- 0.55)% and the tau polarization forward-backward asymmetry to be Afb = (-10.55 +/- 0.76 +/- 0.25)%, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. Taking into account the small effects of the photon propagator, photon-Z interference and photonic radiative corrections, these results can be expressed in terms of the lepton neutral current asymmetry parameters: Atau = 0.1456 +/- 0.0076 +/- 0.0057, Ae = 0.1454 +/- 0.0108 +/- 0.0036. These measurements are consistent with the hypothesis of lepton universality and combine to give Al = 0.1455 +/- 0.0073. Within the context of the Standard Model this combined result corresponds to sin^2(theta)(lept,effective) = 0.23172 +/- 0.00092. Combing these results with those from the other OPAL neutral current measurements yields a value of sin^2(theta)(lept,effective) = 0.23211 +/- 0.00068.

The polarisation of $\tau$'s produced in Z decay is measured using 160 pb$^{-1}$ of data accumulated at LEP by the ALEPH detector between 1990 and 1995. The variation of the polarisation with polar angle yields the two parameters ${\cal A}_e = 0.1504 \pm 0.0068 $ and ${\cal A}_{\tau} = 0.1451 \pm 0.0059$ which are consistent with the hypothesis of $e$-$\tau$ universality. Assuming universality, the value ${\cal A}_{e{-}\tau} = 0.1474 \pm 0.0045$ is obtained from which the effective weak mixing angle $\sin^2 {\theta_{\mathrm{W}}^{\mathrm{eff}}} =0.23147 \pm 0.00057 $ is derived.

This final analysis of hadronic and leptonic cross-sections and of leptonic forward-backward asymmetries in e+e- collisions with the OPAL detector makes use of the full LEP1 data sample comprising 161 pb^-1 of integrated luminosity and 4.5 x 10^6 selected Z decays. An interpretation of the data in terms of contributions from pure Z exchange and from Z-gamma interference allows the parameters of the Z resonance to be determined in a model-independent way. Our results are in good agreement with lepton universality and consistent with the vector and axial-vector couplings predicted in the Standard Model. A fit to the complete dataset yields the fundamental Z resonance parameters: mZ = 91.1852 +- 0.0030 GeV, GZ = 2.4948 +- 0.0041 GeV, s0h = 41.501 +- 0.055 nb, Rl = 20.823 +- 0.044, and Afb0l = 0.0145 +- 0.0017. Transforming these parameters gives a measurement of the ratio between the decay width into invisible particles and the width to a single species of charged lepton, Ginv/Gl = 5.942 +- 0.027. Attributing the entire invisible width to neutrino decays and assuming the Standard Model couplings for neutrinos, this translates into a measurement of the effective number of light neutrino species, N_nu = 2.984 +- 0.013. Interpreting the data within the context of the Standard Model allows the mass of the top quark, mt = 162 +29-16 GeV, to be determined through its influence on radiative corrections. Alternatively, utilising the direct external measurement of mt as an additional constraint leads to a measurement of the strong coupling constant and the mass of the Higgs boson: alfa_s(mZ) = 0.127 +- 0.005 and mH = 390 +750-280 GeV.

We present final measurements of the Z boson-lepton coupling asymmetry parameters Ae, Amu, and Atau with the complete sample of polarized Z bosons collected by the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider. From the left-right production and decay polar angle asymmetries in leptonic Z decays we measure Ae = 0.1544 +- 0.0060, Amu = 0.142 +- 0.015, and Atau = 0.136 +- 0.015. Combined with our left-right asymmetry measured from hadronic decays, we find Ae = 0.1516 +- 0.0021. Assuming lepton universality, we obtain a combined effective weak mixing angle of sin**2 theta^{eff}_W = 0.23098 +- 0.00026.

An analysis of the data collected in 1997 and 1998 with the DELPHI detector at e+e- collision energies close to 183 and 189 GeV was performed in order to extract the hadronic and leptonic fermion-pair cross-sections, as well as the leptonic forward-backward asymmetries and angular distributions. The data are used to put limit on contact interactions between fermions, the exchange of R-parity violating SUSY sneutrinos, Z' bosons and the existence of gravity in extra dimensions.

We report on measurements of hadronic and leptonic cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries performed with the L3 detector in the years 1993-95. A total luminosity of 103 pb^-1 was collected at centre-of-mass energies \sqrt{s} ~ m_Z and \sqrt{s} ~ m_Z +/- 1.8 GeV which corresponds to 2.5 million hadronic and 245 thousand leptonic events selected. These data lead to a significantly improved determination of Z parameters. From the total cross sections, combined with our measurements in 1990-92, we obtain the final results: m_Z = 91189.8 +/- 3.1 MeV, Gamma_Z = 2502.4 +/- 4.2 MeV, Gamma_had = 1741.1 +/- 3.8 MeV, Gamma_l = 84.14 +/- 0.17 MeV. An invisible width of Gamma_inv = 499.1 +/- 2.9 MeV is derived which in the Standard Model yields for the number of light neutrino species N_nu = 2.978 +/- 0.014. Adding our results on the leptonic forward-backward asymmetries and the tau polarisation, the effective vector and axial-vector coupling constants of the neutral weak current to charged leptons are determined to be \bar{g}_V^l = -0.0397 +/- 0.0017 and \bar{g}_A^l = -0.50153 +/- 0.00053.Including our measurements of the Z -> b \bar{b} forward-backward and quark charge asymmetries a value for the effective electroweak mixing angle of sin^2\bar{\theta}_W = 0.23093 +/- 0.00066 is derived. All these measurements are in good agreement with the Standard Model of electroweak interactions. Using all our measurements of electroweak observables an upper limit on the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson of m_H &lt; 133 GeV is set at 95% confidence level.

During 1993 and 1995 LEP was run at 3 energies near the Z$^0$peak in order to give improved measurements of the mass and width of the resonance. During 1994, LEP o

We report on measurements of e+e- annihilation into hadrons and lepton pairs. The data have been collected with the L3 detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies between 130 and 189 GeV. Using a total integrated luminosity of 243.7 pb^-1, 25864 hadronic and 8573 lepton-pair events are selected for the measurement of cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries. The results are in good agreement with Standard Model predictions.

The$\tau$polarisation has been studied with the${\rm e^+e^-}\to \tau^+\tau^-$data collected by the DELPHI detector at LEP in

Cross-sections and angular distributions for hadronic and lepton pair final states in e+e- collisions at a centre-of-mass energy near 189 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. The results are used to measure the energy dependence of the electromagnetic coupling constant alpha_em, and to place limits on new physics as described by four-fermion contact interactions or by the exchange of a new heavy particle such as a sneutrino in supersymmetric theories with R-parity violation. A search for the indirect effects of the gravitational interaction in extra dimensions on the mu+mu- and tau+tau- final states is also presented.

The cross sections and forward-backward asymmetries of hadronic and leptonic events produced in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130-183 GeV are presented. Results for ee, mumu, tautau, qq, bb and cc production show no significant deviation from the Standard Model predictions. This enable constraints to be set upon physics beyond the Standard Model such as four-fermion contact interactions, leptoquarks, Z' bosons and R-parity violating squarks and sneutrinos. Limits on the energy scale Lambda of eeff contact interactions are typically in the range from 2-10 TeV. Limits on R-parity violating sneutrinos reach masses of a few hundred GeV for large values of their Yukawa couplings.

None

Cross-sections for hadronic, b-bbar and lepton pair final states in e+e- collisions at sqrt(s) = 183 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. Forward-backward asymmetries for the leptonic final states have also been measured. Cross-sections and asymmetries are also presented for data recorded in 1997 at sqrt(s) = 130 and 136 GeV. The results are used to measure the energy dependence of the electromagnetic coupling constant alpha_em, and to place limits on new physics as described by four-fermion contact interactions or by the exchange of a new heavy particle such as a leptoquark, or of a squark or sneutrino in supersymmetric theories with R-parity violation.

Production of events with hadronic and leptonic final states has been measured in e^+e^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130-172 GeV, using the OPAL detector at LEP. Cross-sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries are presented, both including and excluding the dominant production of radiative Z \gamma events, and compared to Standard Model expectations. The ratio R_b of the cross-section for bb(bar) production to the hadronic cross-section has been measured. In a model-independent fit to the Z lineshape, the data have been used to obtain an improved precision on the measurement of \gamma-Z interference. The energy dependence of \alpha_em has been investigated. The measurements have also been used to obtain limits on extensions of the Standard Model described by effective four-fermion contact interactions, to search for t-channel contributions from new massive particles and to place limits on chargino pair production with subsequent decay of the chargino into a light gluino and a quark pair.

We present direct measurements of the $Z~0$-lepton coupling asymmetry parameters, $A_e$, $A_\mu$, and $A_\tau$, based on a data sample of 12,063 leptonic $Z~0$ decays collected by the SLD detector. The $Z$ bosons are produced in collisions of beams of polarized $e~-$ with unpolarized $e~+$ at the SLAC Linear Collider. The couplings are extracted from the measurement of the left-right and forward-backward asymmetries for each lepton species. The results are: $A_e=0.152 \pm 0.012 {(stat)} \pm 0.001 {(syst)}$, $A_\mu=0.102 \pm 0.034 \pm 0.002$, and $A_\tau=0.195 \pm 0.034 \pm 0.003$.

The polarization of tau leptons in the reaction e+ e- --> tau+ tau- has been measured using a e+e- collider, TRISTAN, at the center-of-mass energy of 58 GeV. From the kinematical distributions of daughter particles in tau --> e nu nu-bar, mu nu nu-bar, rho nu or pi(K) nu decays, the average polarization of tau- and its forward-backward asymmetry have been evaluated to be 0.012 +- 0.058 and 0.029 +- 0.057, respectively.

A measurement of theτ lepton polarization and its forward-backward asymmetry at the Z0 resonance using the OPAL detector is described. The measurement is based on analyses of τ→ρντ, ττπ(K)ντ,\(\tau\to e\bar \nu _e \nu _\tau\),\(\tau\to \mu \bar \nu _\mu\nu _\tau\) andτ→a1ντ decays from a sample of 89075 e+e−→τ+τ− candidates corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 117 pb−1. Assuming that theτ lepton decays according to V-A theory, we measure the averageτ polarization at √s=MZ to be 〈P〉=(−13.0±0.9±0.9)% and theτ polarization forward-backward asymmetry to be ApolFB=(−9.4±1.0±0.4)%, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of lepton universality and, when combined, can be expressed as a measurement of sin2θefflept=0.2334±0.0012 within the context of the Standard Model.

Hadronic and leptonic cross-sections and forward-backward asymmetries are measured using 5.7 pb −1 of data taken with the ALEPH detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV. The results agree with Standard Model expectations. The measurement of hadronic cross-sections far away from the Z resonance improves the determination of the interference between photon and Z exchange. Constraints on models with extra Z bosons are presented.

We report on the first measurements of e + e − annihilations into hadrons and lepton pairs at centre-of-mass energies between 130 GeV and 140 GeV. In a total luminosity of 5 pb −1 collected with the L3 detector at LEP we select 1577 hadronic and 401 lepton-pair events. The measured cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries agree well with the Standard Model predictions.

The decay τ−→π−−+vτ has been studied using data collected with the OPAL detector at LEP during 1992 and 1993. The hadronic structure functions for this decay are measured model independently assuming G-parity invariance and neglecting scalar currents. Simultaneously the parity violating asymmetry parameter is determined to be\(\gamma VA = 1.08 _{ - 0.41- 0.25}^{ + 0.46+ 0.14} \), consistent with the Standard Model prediction of γVA=1 for left-handed tau neutrinos. Models of Kühn and Santamaria and of Isgur et al. are used to fit distributions of the invariant 3π mass as well as 2π mass projections of the Dalitz plot. The model dependent mass and width of thea1 resonance are measured to be\(m_{a_1 }= 1.266 \pm 0.014_{ - 0.002}^{ + 0.012} \) GeV and\(\Gamma _{a_1 }= 0.610 \pm 0.049_{ - 0.019}^{ + 0.053} \) GeV for the Kühn and Santamaria model and\(m_{a_1 }= 1.202 \pm 0.009_{ - 0.001}^{ + 0.009} \) GeV and\(\Gamma _{a_1 }= 0.422 \pm 0.023_{ - 0.004}^{ + 0.033} \) GeV for the Isgur et al. model. The model dependent values obtained for the parity violating asymmetry parameter are γVA=0.87±0.27−0.06+0.05 for the Kühn and Santamaria model and γVA=1.10±0.31−0.14+0.13 for the Isgur et al. model. Within the Isgur et al. model the ratio of theS-andD-wave amplitudes is measured to beD/S=−0.09±0.03±0.01.

With data corresponding to 142 pb −1 accumulated at s = 57.8 GeV by the AMY detector at TRISTAN we measure the cross section of the reactions e + e − → μ + μ − and e + e − → τ + τ − and the symmetry in the angular distributions. For the lowest order cross section we obtain σ μμ = 27.54 ± 0.65 ± 0.95 pb and σ ττ = 28.27 ± 0.87 ± 0.69 pb, and for the forward-backward asymmetry, A μμ = 0.303 ± 0.027 ± 0.008 and A ττ = −0.291 ± 0.040 ± 0.019. These measurements agree with the standard model. Assuming e − μ − τ univrsality we extract the vector and axial coupling constants | gν | = 0.00 ± 0.09 and | g A | = 0.476 ± 0.024. A fit of data to composite models places lower bounds (95% confidence level) on the compositeness scale of 2–4 TeV.

We report on the measurement of the leptonic and hadronic cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries at theZ peak with the L3 detector at LEP. The total luminosity of 40.8 pb−1 collected