Spectral Functions from Hadronic τ Decays and QCD

Hadronic decays of the τ lepton provide a clean environment to study hadron dynamics in an energy regime dominated by resonances, with the interesting information captured in the spectral functions. Recent results from ALEPH on exclusive channels are presented, with some emphasis on the ππ final state which plays a crucial role for the determination of the hadronic contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment. Inclusive spectral functions are the basis for QCD analyses, delivering an accurate determination of the strong coupling constant, quantitative information on nonperturbative contributions and a measurement of the mass of the strange quark.