Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to parity-violating 3-jet observables for massive quarks in e^+e^- annihilation

Abstract

In this work we provide all the missing ingredients for calculating parity-violating 3-jet observables in e^+e^- collisions at next-to-leading order (NLO) including the full quark mass dependence. In particular we give explicit results for the one-loop corrections and for the singular contributions from real emission processes. Our formulae allow for the computation of the NLO 3-jet contributions to the forward-backward asymmetry for heavy flavours, which is -- and will be -- an important observable for electroweak physics at present and future e^+e^- colliders.

24 pages, 2 figures