Charged Particle Momentum Spectra in e+e- annihilation at sqrt(s) = 192-209 GeV

TL;DR

This study measures charged particle momentum spectra in electron-positron collisions at energies of 192-209 GeV, comparing results with QCD predictions to test the theory's accuracy across different energies.

Contribution

It provides new experimental data at high energies and compares these with various QCD models to analyze the energy dependence of strong interactions.

Findings

Good agreement between measurements and QCD predictions

Supports the validity of QCD at high energies

Enhances understanding of strong interaction energy dependence

Abstract

Charged particle momentum distributions are studied in the reaction e+e- -> hadrons, using data collected with the OPAL detector at centre-of-mass energies from 192 GeV to 209 GeV. The data correspond to an average centre-of- mass energy of 201.7 GeV and a total integrated luminosity of 433 pb-1. The measured distributions and derived quantities, in combination with corresponding results obtained at lower centre-of-mass energies, are compared to QCD predictions in various theoretical approaches to study the energy dependence of the strong interaction and to test QCD as the theory describing it. In general, a good agreement is found between the measurements and the corresponding QCD predictions.