First results on e^+e^- -> 3 jets at NNLO

Abstract

Precision studies of QCD at $e^+e^-$ colliders are based on measurements of event shapes and jet rates. To match the high experimental accuracy, theoretical predictions to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in QCD are needed for a reliable interpretation of the data. We report the first calculation of NNLO corrections (${\cal O}(\alpha_s^3)$) to three-jet production and related event shapes, and discuss their phenomenological impact.