Studies of QCD in $e^{+}e^{-} \to$ hadrons at $E_{cm}$ = 130 and 136 GeV

An analysis of the properties of hadronic final states produced in electron-positron annihilation at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV is presented. The measurements are based on a data sample of 5.7 pb$^{-1}$ collected in November 1995 with the Aleph detector at LEP. Inclusive charged particle distributions, jet rates and event-shape distributions are measured and the results are compared with the predictions of QCD-based models. From the measured distributions quantities are determined for which the dependence on the centre-of-mass energy can be predicted by QCD, including the mean multiplicity of charged particles, the peak position of the inclusive distribution of $\xi = -\ln x_p$ ($x_p = p/p_{\rm beam}$), and the strong coupling constant $\alpha_s$. The QCD predictions are tested by comparing with corresponding measurements at $E_{\rm cm} = 91.2$ GeV and at lower energies