MASSIVE QUARK PRODUCTION IN ELECTRON-POSITRON ANNIHILATION TO ORDER ALPHA(2)(S)

Recent analytical and numerical results for the three-loop polarizatio n function allow to present a phenomenological analysis of the cross s ection for massive quark production in electron positron annihilation to order alpha(s)(2). Numerical predictions based on fixed order pertu rbation theory are presented for charm and bottom production above 5 a nd 11.5 GeV, respectively. The contribution from these energy regions to alpha(M-Z(2)), the running QED coupling constant at scale M-Z, are given. The dominant terms close to threshold, i.e. in an expansion for small quark velocity beta, are presented.