An upper limit on the anomalous magnetic moment of the τ lepton

Using radiative Z0→ τ+τ−γevents collected with the OPAL detector at LEP at s=MZ during 1990–95, a direct study of the electromagnetic current at the τγ vertex has been performed in terms of the anomalous magnetic form factor F2 of the τ lepton. The analysis is based on a data sample of 1429 e+e−→τ+τ−γevents which are examined for a deviation from the expectation with F2=0. From the non-observation of anomalous τ+τ−γproduction a limit of−0.068<F2<0.065is obtained. This can also be interpreted as a limit on the electric dipole form factor F3 as|eF3|<3.7×10−16ecm.The above ranges are valid at the 95% confidence level.