Four-jet decays of theZ 0: Prospects of testing the triple gluon coupling

A large fraction of 4-jet events inZ ⁰ decays evolve fromq \(\bar q\) gg parton states. These configurations allow us to test the triple gluon coupling which is a consequence of the non-Abelian nature of QCD. The strength and the form of this coupling determine the quark-gluon decomposition of the final state as well as angular correlations between the jets. A critical assessment of the sensitivity of these observables to theggg vertex is presented under realistic experimental conditions. Methods to improve the sensitivity in large samples ofZ ⁰ decays are suggested.