0000000000075132
AUTHOR
F.v. Weber
showing 40 related works from this author
Search for the exotic Θ+ resonance in the NOMAD experiment
2006
12 pages, 16 figures.-- PACS nrs.: 13.15.+g; 13.60.Le; 13.87.Fh; 14.40.Ev.-- ISI Article Identifier: 000243973100007.-- ArXiv pre-print available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ex/0612063.-- et al.
A more sensitive search for νμ→ντ oscillations in NOMAD
1999
With additional data and improved algorithms, we have enhanced the sensitivity of our appearance search for $\numunutau$ oscillations in the NOMAD detector in the CERN-SPS wide-band neutrino beam. The search uses kinematic criteria to identify $\nutau$ charged current interactions followed by decay of the $\tau^-$ to one of several decay modes. Our ``blind'' analyses of deep-inelastic scattering data taken in 1996 and 1997, combined with consistent reanalyses of previously reported 1995 data, yield no oscillation signal. For the two-family oscillation scenario, we present the contour outlining a 90\% C.L. confidence region in the $\sin^22\theta_{\mu \tau} - \Delta m^2$ plane. At large $\Del…
Search for νμ→νe oscillations in the NOMAD experiment
2003
We present the results of a search for vμ → v e oscillations in the NOMAD experiment at CERN. The experiment looked for the appearance of ve in a predominantly vμ wide-band neutrino beam at the CERN SPS. No evidence for oscillations was found. The 90% confidence limits obtained are Δm2 < 0.4 eV 2 for maximal mixing and sin2(2θ) < 1.4 × 10-3 for large Δm2. This result excludes the LSND allowed region of oscillation parameters with Δm2 ≳ 10 eV2. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Search for neutral Higgs bosons from supersymmetry in Z decays
1990
The light scalar Higgs boson h and the pseudoscalar Higgs boson A of the minimal supersymmetric standard model have been searched for in the processes e+e−→hff and e+e−→hA using data collected by ALEPH at the LEP e+e− collider, with center of mass energies at and near the Z peak. Using a variety of signatures adapted to various mass ranges for h and A, we have excluded a large domain in the parameter space. For large values of ν2ν1, the ratio of the vacuum expectation values of the two Higgs fields, the whole range from 0 to 38.8 GeV is excluded for Mh and MA at 95% CL.
Measurement of the b → τ-ν̄τX branching ratio
1993
The definitions of “anthropology” found in various dictionaries cover a whole range of terms and in this section we provide an overview of all its connotations. In this way a variety of reflections about the essence of man become possible, for instance as : summit of creation; source of his own values; specific biological reality; intelligence (but what is this, really?); knowing subject or object of knowledge; social being and product of a culture. Following these lines of thought one realises that all these preoccupations have already been taken up, or at least touched upon, by communication theory.
Searches for the standard Higgs boson
1990
Abstract A data sample corresponding to about 100 000 hadronic Z decays collected by ALEPH at LEP has been used to search for the standard Higgs boson produced in the reaction e + e − → H 0 Z 0∗ . No indication for any signal was found, and a 95% CL lower limit on the Higgs boson mass has been set at 41.6 GeV.
A Search for Single Photon Events in Neutrino Interactions
2011
We present a search for neutrino induced events containing a single, exclusive photon using data from the NOMAD experiment at the CERN SPS where the average energy of the neutrino flux is ≃25 GeV. The search is motivated by an excess of electron-like events in the 200-475 MeV energy region as reported by the MiniBooNE experiment. In NOMAD, photons are identified via their conversion to e + e - in an active target embedded in a magnetic field. The background to the single photon signal is dominated by the asymmetric decay of neutral pions produced either in a coherent neutrino-nucleus interaction, or in a neutrino-nucleon neutral current deep inelastic scattering, or in an interaction occurr…
Production properties of $K*(892)\pm$ vector mesons and their spin alignment as measured in the NOMAD experiment
2006
First measurements of K*(892) mesons production properties and their spin alignment in nu_mu charged current (CC) and neutral current (NC) interactions are presented. The analysis of the full data sample of the NOMAD experiment is performed in different kinematic regions. For K*+ and K*- mesons produced in nu_mu CC interactions and decaying into K0 pi+/- we have found the following yields per event: (2.6 +/- 0.2 (stat.) +/- 0.2 (syst.))% and (1.6 +/- 0.1 (stat.) +/- 0.1 (syst.))% respectively, while for the K*+ and K*- mesons produced in nu NC interactions the corresponding yields per event are: (2.5 +/- 0.3 (stat.) +/- 0.3 (syst.))% and (1.0 +/- 0.3 (stat.) +/- 0.2 (syst.))%. The results o…
Search for high mass photon pairs in (f= e, μ, τ, v, q) at LEP
1993
Abstract The result of a search for high mass photon pairs from the processes e + e − → f f γγ (f = e, μ, τ, v and q) with the ALEPH detector is reported. The result for f = e , μ and τ is to be compared with the observation of 4 events by the L3 Collaboration with invariant masses, M γγ , of the two photons near 60 GeV. From a data sample approximately twice as large taken from 1990 to 1992, 6 events are found with M γγ distributed between 50 GeV and 72 GeV, while 4.9 events are expected from a QED calculation. There is no evidence for a mass peak; only one event ( μ + μ − γγ ) at M γγ = 59.4 ± 0.2 GeV is compatible with the L3 observation. In addition, for M γγ > 50 GeV, no event is found…
Precision measurement of scaled momentum, charge multiplicity, and thrust in νμN and interactions
1999
By focusing on the notion of electronic document, we differentiate two evolutions which are useful to distinct titles: on the one hand are the documents, which have value of reference. Its administrator will take care to preserve its integrity and its context of production which is strongly significant. On the other hand are resources, evolutionary elements by nature, which the user must be able to appropriate and who must thus be placed at the disposal so that the production is erased, to focus on a logic of exploitation and service.
Search for a new weakly interacting particle
1991
Abstract A search for events of the type e + e − →l + l − X 0 , where X 0 can be any weakly interacting particle which couples to the Z, has been performed with the ALEPH detector at LEP, by searching for acollinear lepton pairs. Such particles can be excluded up to a mass of 7.0 GeV/c 2 for a value of the ratio of branching fractions, Br( Z →X 0 l + l − )/Br(Z→ l + l − ), greater than 2.5 × 10 −3 if the X 0 has third component of isospin, I 3 greater than 1 2 and decays to a pair of virtual gauge bosons. When this analysis is combined with the previous results of the Higgs particle searches from ALEPH, this limit can be extended to an X 0 mass of 60 GeV/c 2 .
A study of strange particle production in nu(mu) charged current interactions in the NOMAD experiment
2001
A study of strange particle production in $\nu_\mu$ charged current interactions has been performed using the data from the NOMAD experiment. Yields of neutral strange particles ($K^0_s, \Lambda, \bar{\Lambda}$) have been measured. Mean multiplicities are reported as a function of the event kinematic variables $E_\nu$, $W^2$ and $Q^2$ as well as of the variables describing particle behaviour within a hadronic jet: $x_F$, $z$ and $p_T^2$. Decays of resonances and heavy hyperons with identified $K^0_s$ and $\Lambda$ in the final state have been analyzed. Clear signals corresponding to $\rm {K^\star}^\pm$ $\rm {\Sigma^\star}^\pm$, $\rm \Xi^-$ and $\rm \Sigma^0$ have been observed. A study of s…
Search for heavy neutrinos mixing with tau neutrinos
2001
We report on a search for heavy neutrinos ($\nus$) produced in the decay $D_s\to \tau \nus$ at the SPS proton target followed by the decay $\nudecay$ in the NOMAD detector. Both decays are expected to occur if $\nus$ is a component of $\nu_{\tau}$.\ From the analysis of the data collected during the 1996-1998 runs with $4.1\times10^{19}$ protons on target, a single candidate event consistent with background expectations was found. This allows to derive an upper limit on the mixing strength between the heavy neutrino and the tau neutrino in the $\nus$ mass range from 10 to 190 $\rm MeV$. Windows between the SN1987a and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis lower limits and our result are still open for f…
Search for excited leptons in Z0 decay
1990
Due to the severity of system-wide power outages, though their probability of occurrence is slight, regulatory authorities require that a system restoration plan be drawn up and kept up to date at all times. The power outage that affected northeastern North America in 2003 proved the need for such a requirement. The particular structure of Hydro-Quebec's power system requires the use of a highly specific system restoration procedure. The daily preparation of the system restoration plan is based on a strategy whose application requires that a restoration sequence be drawn up that uses available equipment, the electrical behavior of which has been validated using appropriate studies. Over the…
Updated Results from the $\nu_{\tau}$ Appearance Search in NOMAD
2000
Updated results from the appearance searches for $\numunutau$ and $\nuenutau$ oscillations in the full NOMAD data sample are reported. The increased data and the use of more refined kinematic schemes for the $\nutau$ CC selection allow a significant improvement of the overall sensitivity. The ``blind analysis" of both the deep-inelastic and the low multiplicity samples yields no evidence for an oscillation signal. In the two-family oscillation scenario, this sets a 90\% C.L. region in the $\sin^22\theta_{\mu\tau} - \Delta m^2$ plane which includes $\sin^22\theta_{\mu\tau}\ <\ 4.4\times10^{-4}$ at large $\Delta m^2$ and $\Delta m^2 < 0.8$ eV$^2$/$c^4$ at $\sin^22\theta_{\mu \tau}=1$. The cor…
Search for supersymmetric particles using acoplanar charged-particle pairs from Z0 decays
1990
We have performed a search for supersymmetric particles using acoplanar pairs of oppositely-charged particles in decays of the Z0. In 0.53 pb−1 of integrated luminosity near the Z0 peak, we observe two events where approximately four are expected from background, allowing limits to be extended on combined photino and slepton masses, and also on combined photino and chargino masses.
Test of the flavour independence of αs
1995
Abstract Using about 950000 hadronic events collected during 1991 and 1992 with the ALEPH detector, the ratios r b = α s b α s udsc and r uds = α s uds α s cb have been measured in order to test the flavour independence of the strong coupling constant α s . The analysis is based on event-shape variables using the full hadronic sample, two b -quark samples enriched by lepton tagging and lifetime tagging, and a light-quark sample enriched by lifetime antitagging. The combined results are r b = 1.002±0.023 and r uds = 0.971 ± 0.023.
Search for a non-minimal Higgs boson produced in the reaction →
1993
Abstract A data sample corresponding to 1.23 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP has been searched for signals of the production of a non-minimal CP-even Higgs boson h in the reaction e + e − → hZ ∗ . The h decay modes considered were: those of the minimal standard model Higgs boson, with modified branching ratios; decays into a pair of CP-odd Higgs bosons A; and decays into invisible final states. Only one event was found, a very acoplanar e+e− pair which could originate from the standard model background process e + e − → e + e − v v . Upper limits for the cross-section of the reaction e + e − → hZ ∗ have been derived as a function of mh, the mass of the Higgs…
New results on a search for a 33.9 MeV/c2 neutral particle from π+ decay in the NOMAD experiment
2002
We report on a direct search in NOMAD for a new 33.9 MeV/c^2 neutral particle (X) produced in pion decay in flight, pi-->mu_X followed by the decay X -->nu e^+e^-. Both decays are postulated to occur to explain the time anomaly observed by the KARMEN experiment. From the analysis of the data collected during the 1996?1998 runs with 4.1×10^19 protons on target, a single candidate event consistent with background expectations was found. The search is sensitive to a pion branching ratio BR(pi-->muX >3.7×10^-15, significantly smaller than previous experimental limits.
Search for decays of the Z0 into a photon and a pseudoscalar meson
1990
Abstract A search is reported for decays of the Z 0 into π 0 γ , ηγ and η ′ (958) γ in e + e − collisions using data collected during a scan around the Z 0 mass. In order to search for π 0 γ final states, in which the two photons from the π 0 decay are unresolved, the production of pairs of high-energy electromagnetic clusters is studied. The data are compared with the expectations from the pure QED process e + e − → γγ , and a 95% confidence level upper limit on the branching ratio of the Z 0 into π 0 γ of 4.9 × 10 −4 is derived. For η′γ, the decay modes of the mesons that contain two charged particles are largely free from QED background. These modes are used to place upper limits of 4.6 …
Measurement of the and B− meson lifetimes
1993
Abstract The lifetimes of the B 0 and B − mesons have been measured with the ALEPH detector at LEP. Semileptonic decays of B 0 and B − mesons were partially reconstructed by identifying events containing a lepton with an associated D ∗+ or D 0 meson. The proper time of the B meson was estimated from the measured decay length and the momentum and mass of the D -lepton system. A fit to the proper time of 77 D ∗+ l − and 77 D 0 l − candidates, combined with a constraint on the lifetime ratio ( τ − τ 0 ) arising from the relative rates of observed D ∗+ l − and D 0 l − events, yielded the following lifetimes: τ 0 =1.52 −0.18 +0.20 ( stat. ) −0.13 +0.07 ( syst. ) ps , τ − = 1.47 −0.19 +0.22 ( sta…
Measurement of the polarization in νμ charged current interactions in the NOMAD experiment
2001
The Λ polarization in νμ charged current interactions has been measured in the NOMAD experiment. The event sample (8087 reconstructed Λ 's) is more than an order of magnitude larger than that of previous bubble chamber experiments, while the quality of event reconstruction is comparable. We observe negative polarization along the W -boson direction which is enhanced in the target fragmentation region: Px(xF 0)=−0.09±0.06(stat)±0.03(sys) . These results provide a test of different models describing the nucleon spin composition and the spin transfer mechanisms. A significant transverse polarization (in the direction orthogonal to the Λ production plane) has been observed for the first time in…
Search for excited neutrinos in Z decay
1990
Excited neutrinos decaying into a neutrino and a photon are searched for in the ALEPH detector at LEP. No evidence is found for Z decay into vv∗ or v∗v∗ final states. Upper limits are derived on excited neutrino couplings up to excited neutrino masses close to the Z mass. Lower limits on the v∗ mass, independent of the v∗ decay modes, are deduced from the total Z width.
Measurement of the branching ratio and an upper limit on
1995
Abstract Using 1.45 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP, the b → τ − ν - τ X branching ratio is measured to be 2.75 ± 0.30 ± 0.37%. In addition an upper limit of 1.8 × 10 −3 at 90% confidence level is placed upon the exclusive branching ratio of B − → τ − ν - τ . These measurements are consistent with SM expectations, and put the constraint tan β M h ± GeV −1 at 90% confidence level on all Type II two Higgs doublet models (such as the MSSM).
Study of D*+ production in nu_mu charged current interactions in the NOMAD experiment
2002
A search was made among $\nu_\mu$ charged current events collected in the NOMAD experiment for the reaction: $\nu_\mu + N \rightarrow \mu^- + D^{\star+} + hadrons \hookrightarrow D^0 + \pi^+ \hookrightarrow K^- + \pi^+ A $D^{\star+}$ sample composed of 47 events, with 90% purity, was extracted. The $D^{\star+}$ yield in $\nu_\mu$ charged current interactions was measured to be $T = (0.99 \pm 0.15(stat.) \pm 0.11(syst.))$%. The mean fraction of the hadronic jet energy taken by the $D^{\star+}$ is $0.67 \pm 0.02(stat) \pm 0.02(syst.)$. The distributions of the fragmentation variables $z$, ${P_{T}}^2$ and $x_F$ for $D^{\star+}$ are also presented.
Neutrino production of opposite sign dimuons in the NOMAD experiment
2000
The NOMAD Collaboration presents a study of opposite sign dimuon events in the framework of Leading Order QCD. A total of 2714 neutrino- and 115 antineutrino-induced opposite sign dimuon events with $E_{\mu 1}, E_{\mu 2} > 4.5$ GeV, $15 1\;(\mbox{GeV}/\mbox{c})^{2}$ are observed %in the data from the 1995 and 1996 runs. in the Front-Calorimeter of NOMAD during the 1995 and 1996 runs. The analysis yields a value for the charm quark mass of $m_{c} = 1.3^{+0.3\;+0.3}_{-0.3\;-0.3}\;\mbox{GeV}/\m box{c}^{2}$ and for the average semileptonic branching ratio of $B_{c} = 0.095^{+0.007\;+0.014}_{-0.007\;-0.013}$. The ratio of the strange to non-strange sea in the nucleon is measured to be $\kappa = …
Prediction of neutrino fluxes in the NOMAD experiment
2003
The method developed for the calculation of the flux and composition of the West Area Neutrino Beam used by NOMAD in its search for neutrino oscillations is described. The calculation is based on particle production rates computed using a recent version of FLUKA and modified to take into account the cross sections measured by the SPY and NA20 experiments. These particles are propagated through the beam line taking into account the material and magnetic fields they traverse. The neutrinos produced through their decays are tracked to the NOMAD detector. The fluxes of the four neutrino flavours at NOMAD are predicted with an uncertainty of about 8% for nu(mu) and nu(e), 10% for antinu(mu), and…
Measurement of the strong coupling constant using τ decays
1993
The strong coupling constant is determined from the leptonic branching ratios, the lifetime, and the invariant mass distribution of the hadronic final state of the tau lepton, using data accumulated at LEP with the ALEPH detector. The strong coupling constant measurement, alpha(s), (m(tau)2) = 0.330 +/-0.046, evolved to the Z mass, yields alpha(s)(M(Z)2) = 0. 1 18 +/- 0.005. The error includes experimental and theoretical uncertainties, the latter evaluated in the framework of the Shifman, Vainshtein and Zakharov (SVZ) approach. The method allows the non-perturbative contribution to the hadronic decay rate to be determined to be 0.3 +/- 0.5% . RI Perrier, Frederic/A-5953-2011; ANTONELLI, AN…
Production and decay of charmed mesons at the Z resonance
1991
Abstract In a sample of 190 000 hadronic Z decays, three signals of charm production are observed: two from the exclusive decays D ° → K − π + and D ∗+ → D °π + → K − π + π + and one in the transverse-momentum distribution of soft hadrons relative to the nearest jet. The features of these signals are in good agreement with expectations based on the standard model and previous measurements of the branching fractions. The number of D ∗± → K ± π ± π ± per hadronic decay of the Z is measured to be (5.11±0.34) × 10 −3 , and the branching ratio B(D 0 → K − π + ) is (3.62 ± 0.34 ± 0.44)%. Charm hadronization has been studied. The average fraction of the beam energy carried by the D ∗ meson is foun…
Measurement of the D∗± cross section in two photon collisions at LEP
1995
Abstract The inclusive production of D ∗± mesons in photon-photon collisions has been measured by the Aleph experiment at LEP with a beam energy of 45 GeV. The D ∗+ are detected in their decay to D 0 π + with the D 0 observed in three separate decay modes: (1) K − π + , (2) K − π + π 0 and (3) K − π + π − π + , and analagously for the D ∗− modes. A total of 33 events was observed from an integrated luminosity of 73 pb −1 which corresponds to a cross section for Σ( e + e − → e + e − D ∗± X ) of 155 ± 33 ± 21 pb. This result is compatible with both the direct production γγ → c c in the Born approximation and with a more complete calculation which includes both radiative QCD corrections and co…
Bose-Einstein correlations in charged current muon-neutrino interactions in the NOMAD experiment at CERN
2004
Bose-Einstein Correlations in one and two dimensions have been studied, with high statistics, in charged current muon-neutrino interaction events collected with the NOMAD detector at CERN. In one dimension the Bose-Einstein effect has been analyzed with the Goldhaber and the Kopylov-Podgoretskii phenomenological parametrizations. The Goldhaber parametrization gives the radius of the pion emission region R_G = 1.01+/-0.05(stat)+0.09-0.06(sys) fm and for the chaoticity parameter the value lambda = 0.40+/-0.03(stat)+0.01-0.06(sys). Using the Kopylov-Podgoretskii parametrization yields R_KP = 2.07+/-0.04(stat)+0.01-0.14(sys) fm and lambda_KP = 0.29+/-0.06(stat)+0.01-0.04(sys). Different paramet…
A precision measurement of charm dimuon production in neutrino interactions from the NOMAD experiment
2013
We present our new measurement of the cross-section for charm dimuon production in neutrino iron interactions based upon the full statistics collected by the NOMAD experiment. After background subtraction we observe 15 344 charm dimuon events, providing the largest sample currently available. The analysis exploits the large inclusive charged current sample - about 9 x 10(6) events after all analysis cuts - and the high resolution NOMAD detector to constrain the total systematic uncertainty on the ratio of charm dimuon to inclusive Charged Current (CC) cross-sections to similar to 2%. We also perform a fit to the NOMAD data to extract the charm production parameters and the strange quark sea…
A precise measurement of the muon neutrino nucleon inclusive charged current cross section off an isoscalar target in the energy range 2.5
2008
Abstract We present a measurement of the muon neutrino–nucleon inclusive charged current cross section, off an isoscalar target, in the neutrino energy range 2.5 ⩽ E ν ⩽ 40 GeV . The significance of this measurement is its precision, ±4% in 2.5 ⩽ E ν ⩽ 10 GeV , and ±2.6% in 10 ⩽ E ν ⩽ 40 GeV regions, where significant uncertainties in previous experiments still exist, and its importance to the current and proposed long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments.
Correlation measurements in Z→τ+τ− and the τ neutrino helicity
1994
Using data collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP correlations between the decay products of the τ+ and τ- produced in the decay of the Z have been measured. The measurements performed in the decays τ-->πν and τ-->ϱν place limits on deviations from the Standard Model. These are given by the parameter ζ with ζ = -1 for the Standard Model. The measured values are ζπ = -0.95 +/- 0.11 +/- 0.05 and ζϱ = -1.03 +/- 0.11 +/- 0.05. For models which predict ζπ = ζϱ = ζ - interpreted as the average τ neutrino helicity - the measurement is ζ = -0.99 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.04.
A study of strange particles produced in neutrino neutral current interactions in the NOMAD experiment
2004
Results of a detailed study of strange particle production in neutrino neutral current interactions are presented using the data from the NOMAD experiment. Integral yields of neutral strange particles (K0s, Lambda, Lambda-bar) have been measured. Decays of resonances and heavy hyperons with an identified K0s or Lambda in the final state have been analyzed. Clear signals corresponding to K* and Sigma(1385) have been observed. First results on the measurements of the Lambda polarization in neutral current interactions have been obtained.
ALEPH: a Detector for Electron-Positron Annihilations at LEP
1990
Process-centred Software Engineering Environments (PSEE) are the most recent generation of environments supporting software development activities. Most of PSEE are based on mechanisms promoting enforcement and automation of process activities. In this kind of mechanisms the process models are prescribed in a detailed and complete way. But the experience shows that supporting processes is more concerned with the flexibility of guidance offered during the process performance than with enforcement of a collection of predefined process models. In this paper, we present a solution to support strategic processes in a PSEE by providing a flexible guidance during process enactment.
A measurement of coherent neutral pion production in neutrino neutral current interactions in the NOMAD experiment
2009
We present a study of exclusive neutral pion production in neutrino-nucleus Neutral Current interactions using data from the NOMAD experiment at the CERN SPS. The data correspond to $1.44 \times 10^6$ muon-neutrino Charged Current interactions in the energy range $2.5 \leq E_{\nu} \leq 300$ GeV. Neutrino events with only one visible $\pi^0$ in the final state are expected to result from two Neutral Current processes: coherent $\pi^0$ production, {\boldmath $\nu + {\cal A} \to \nu + {\cal A} + \pi^0$} and single $\pi^0$ production in neutrino-nucleon scattering. The signature of coherent $\pi^0$ production is an emergent $\pi^0$ almost collinear with the incident neutrino while $\pi^0$'s pro…
Measurement of the B hadron lifetime
1991
The average lifetime of B hadrons has been measured by the ALEPH experiment at LEP. Events containing B hadrons are selected by the identification of leptons with high transverse momentum in hadronic Z decays, and the lifetime is extracted from a fit to the impact parameter distribution of the lepton tracks. From a sample of 1.7×105 hadronic Z decays a lifetime of 1.29±0.06±0.10 ps is measured.
Measurement of B- mixing at the Z
1991
Abstract From more than 175 000 hadronic Z decays observed with the ALEPH detector at LEP, we select 823 events with pairs of leptons in the final state. From these we measure χ , the probability thata b hadron which is observed to decay originated as a b hadron. We find χ =0.132 −0.026 +0.027 .
Measurement of the strong coupling constant alfa_s from global event-shape variables of hadronic Z decays
1991
Abstract An analysis of global event-shape variables has been carried out for the reaction e+e−→Z0→hadrons to measure the strong coupling constant αs. This study is based on 52 720 hadronic events obtained in 1989/90 with the ALEPH detector at the LEP collider at energies near the peak of the Z-resonance. In order to determine αs, second order QCD predictions modified by effects of perturbative higher orders and hadronization were fitted to the experimental distributions of event-shape variables. From a detailed analysis of the theoretical uncertainties we find that this approach is best justified for the differential two-jet rate, from which we obtain αs(MZ2) = 0.121 ± 0.002(stat.)±0.003(s…