Next-to-Leading-Order Corrections to Momentum Correlations in $Z^0 \to b\bar{b}$

Abstract

We recently completed a calculation of the process $e^+e^- \to Q\bar{Q}+X$, where Q is a heavy quark, at order $O(\alpha_s^2)$. As a first application of this calculation we compute the momentum correlations of $b\bar{b}$ pairs at next-to-leading-order. This quantity is interesting since it may affect the determination of $R_b$ as measured in $Z^0$ decays. We find that the next-to-leading corrections are of moderate size, thus confirming the conclusions that can be drawn from the leading-order calculation.