QCD corrections to the forward-backward asymmetries of $c$ and $b$ quarks at the Z pole

Measurements of the forward-backward production asymmetry of heavy quarks in Z decays provide a precise determination of \swsqeffl . The asymmetries are sensitive to QCD effects, in particular hard gluon radiation. In this paper QCD corrections for \AFBbb~ and \AFBcc~ are discussed. The interplay between the experimental techniques used to measure the asymmetries and the QCD effects is investigated using simulated events. A procedure to estimate the correction needed for experimental measurements is proposed, and some specific examples are given.