Corrections of Order \alpha_s^2 to the Forward-Backward Asymmetry

Abstract

We calculate the second-order QCD corrections to the forward-backward asymmetry in $e^+e^-$ annihilation. Using the quark axis definition, we do not agree with either existing calculation, but the difference relative to one of them is small and understood. In particular, we point out that the forward-backward asymmetry of massive quarks is enhanced by logarithms of the quark mass. This implies that the forward-backward asymmetry of massless quarks is not computable in QCD perturbation theory and affected by non-power-suppressed corrections coming from the non-perturbative fragmentation functions. We also calculate the second-order corrections using the experimentally-preferred thrust axis definition for the first time.