Z' AND ANOMALOUS GAUGE COUPLING EFFECTS AT LEP2 AND THEIR SEPARATION

In the case of the process e(+)e(- )--> mu(+)mu(-), we study the sensi tivity to either Z' or anomalous gauge coupling effects of two new obs ervables, sigma(+) and sigma(-) conveniently defined for such kind of analysis. We discuss general properties of the deviations of these obs ervables from the Standard Model predictions, and derive the model-ind ependent bounds on the relevant parameters allowed by present and fore seeable LEP2 data. We also discuss the possibility of separating the t wo kinds of effect. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .