NEXT-TO-LEADING-ORDER CORRECTIONS TO MOMENTUM CORRELATIONS IN Z(0)-]B(B)OVER-BAR

We recently completed a calculation of the process e(+)e(-) --> Q (Q) over bar + X, where Q is a heavy quark, at order O(alpha(s)(2)). As a first application of this calculation we compute the momentum correlat ions of b (b) over bar pairs at next-to-leading order. This quantity i s 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 m oderate size, thus confirming the conclusions that can be drawn from t he leading-order calculation. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.