Colour Correlations and Multiplicities in Top Events

Abstract

In events of the type e+ e- -> t tbar -> b W+ bbar W-, particle production could depend in a non-trivial way on the kinematics of the process. Energetic perturbative gluon radiation can be generated (when kinematically allowed) by the original t tbar system and by the t -> b W+ and tbar -> bbar W- decays, with negligible interference between the production and decay stages and between the t and tbar decays. Soft perturbative gluon emission and non-perturbative fragmentation does introduce a correlation, however. To illustrate the size of these effects, we study the multiplicity as a function of the angle between the b and bbar jets, close to the t tbar threshold. Also potential uncertainties in top mass determinations are briefly addressed.