Measurement of $\mbox{B}^0_d$ - $\overline{\mbox{B}^0_d}$ oscillations

Developments in heavy quarkonium spectroscopy

We summarize recent developments in heavy quarkonium spectroscopy, relying on previous review articles for the bulk of material available prior to mid-2010. This note is intended as a mini-review to appear in the 2012 Review of Particle Physics published by the Particle Data Group.

Consistent measurements of alpha(s) from precise oriented event shape distributions

An updated analysis using about 1.5 million events recorded at $\sqrt{s} = M_Z$ with the DELPHI detector in 1994 is presented. Eighteen infrared and collinear safe event shape observables are measured as a function of the polar angle of the thrust axis. The data are compared to theoretical calculations in ${\cal O} (\alpha_s^2)$ including the event orientation. A combined fit of $\alpha_s$ and of the renormalization scale $x_{\mu}$ in $\cal O(\alpha_s^2$) yields an excellent description of the high statistics data. The weighted average from 18 observables including quark mass effects and correlations is $\alpha_s(M_Z^2) = 0.1174 \pm 0.0026$. The final result, derived from the jet cone energ…