O(αs) corrections to longitudinal spin-spin correlations in e+e-→q(q)over-bar

We calculate the O(alpha(s)) corrections to longitudinal spin-spin correlations in e(+)e(-)-->q (q) over bar. For top quark pair production the O(alpha(s)) corrections to the longitudinal spin-spin asymmetry amount to less than 1% in the q(2)-range from above t (t) over bar-threshold up to root q(2) = 1000GeV. In the e(+)e(-)-->b (b) over bar case the O(alpha(s)) corrections reduce the asymmetry value from its m=0 value of -1 to approximately -0.96 for q(2)-values around the Z-peak. This reduction can be traced to finite anomalous contributions from residual mass effects which survive the m-->0 limit. We discuss the role of the anomalous contributions and the pattern of how they contribute to spin-flip and no-flip terms. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.