Measurement of the $e^+e^- \to W^+W^-$ cross section and W decay branching fractions at LEP

The OPAL collaboration Abbiendi, G. ; Ainsley, C. ; Akesson, P.F. ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.C 52 (2007) 767-785, 2007.
Inspire Record 757918 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.48533

From a total data sample of 701.1 pb^-1 recorded with e+e- centre-of-mass energies of sqrt = 161-209 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP, 11693 W-pair candidate events are selected. These data are used to obtain measurements of the W-pair production cross sections at 10 different centre-of-mass energies. The ratio of the measured cross sections to the Standard Model expectation is found to be: data/SM = 1.002 +- 0.011(stat.) +- 0.007(syst.) +- 0.005(theory), where the uncertainties are statistical, experimental systematics and theory systematics respectively. The data are used to determine the W boson branching fractions, which are found to be consistent with lepton universality of the charged current interaction. Assuming lepton universality, the branching ratio to hadrons is determined to be 67.41 +- 0.37(stat.) +- 0.23(syst.)%, from which the CKM matrix element Vcs is determined to be 0.96+-0.017(stat.)+-0.012(syst.). The differential cross section as a function of the W^- production angle is measured for the qqev and qqmv final states. The results described in this paper are consistent with the expectations from the Standard Model.

5 data tables

Measured cross section for the (lepton nu lepton nu) decay mode.

Measured cross section for the (quark quark lepton nu) decay mode.

Measured cross section for the (quark quark quark quark) decay mode.

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Measurement of W pair production in e+ e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies from 183-GeV to 209-GeV.

The ALEPH collaboration Heister, A. ; Schael, S. ; Barate, R. ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.C 38 (2004) 147-160, 2004.
Inspire Record 653296 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.48582

The W + W- production cross section is measured from a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 683 pb-1, collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP at centre-of-mass energies from

13 data tables

The measured cross section for the E NU E NU final state. The DSYS error is the typical systematic error.

The measured cross section for the E NU MU NU final state. The DSYS error is the typical systematic error.

The measured cross section for the E NU TAU NU final state. The DSYS error is the typical systematic error.

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Measurement of W pair production in e+ e- collisions at 189-GeV.

The ALEPH collaboration Barate, R. ; Decamp, D. ; Ghez, Philippe ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 484 (2000) 205-217, 2000.
Inspire Record 527492 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.49968

The production of W-pairs is analysed in a data sample collected by ALEPH at a mean centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 174.2 pb^-1. Cross sections are given for different topologies of W decays into leptons or hadrons. Combining all final states and assuming Standard Model branching fractions, the total W-pair cross section is measured to be 15.71 +- 0.34 (stat) +- 0.18 (syst) pb. Using also the W-pair data samples collected by ALEPH at lower centre-of-mass energies, the decay branching fraction of the W boson into hadrons is measured to be BR (W > hadrons) = 66.97 +- 0.65 (stat) +- 0.32 (syst) %, allowing a determination of the CKM matrix element |V(cs)|= 0.951 +- 0.030 (stat) +- 0.015 (syst).

3 data tables

Total W+ W- production cross section.

Cross section for the fully leptonic decay channels.

Results of cross sections for decays into the different topological decay channels.


Measurement of the W pair cross section in e+ e- collisions at 172-GeV.

The ALEPH collaboration Barate, R. ; Buskulic, D. ; Decamp, D. ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 415 (1997) 435-444, 1997.
Inspire Record 446940 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.47408

The e + e − → W + W − cross section is measured in a data sample collected by ALEPH at a mean centre-of-mass energy of 172.09 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 10.65 pb −1 . Cross sections are given for the three topologies, fully leptonic, semi-leptonic and hadronic of a W-pair decay. Under the assumption that no other decay modes are present, the W-pair cross section is measured to be 11.7±1.2 (stat.) ±0.3 (syst.) pb . The existence of the triple gauge boson vertex of the Standard Model is clearly preferred by the data. The decay branching ratio of the W boson into hadrons is measured to be B(W→hadrons) =67.7±3.1 (stat.) ±0.7 (syst.) % , allowing a determination of the CKM matrix element | V cs |=0.98±0.14(stat.)±0.03(syst.).

2 data tables

Cross sections for the different topologies.

Combined W+ W- cross section.


Measurement of W pair production in e+ e- collisions at 183-GeV.

The ALEPH collaboration Barate, R. ; Decamp, D. ; Ghez, Philippe ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 453 (1999) 107-120, 1999.
Inspire Record 497105 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.49130

The production of W+W- pairs is analysed in a data sample collected by ALEPH at a mean centre-of-mass energy of 182.7 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 57 pb-1. Cross sections are given for different topologies of W decays into leptons or hadrons. Under Standard Model assumptions for the W-pair production and decay, the W-pair cross section is measured to be 15.57+-0.62(stat.)+-0.29(syst.) pb. Using also the W-pair data samples collected by ALEPH at lower centre-of-mass energies, the decay branching ratio of the W boson into hadrons is measured to be B(W->hadrons)= 68.93+-1.21(stat.)+-0.51(syst.)%, allowing a determination of the CKM matrix element |Vcs|= 1.043 +- 0.058(stat.) +- 0.026(syst.). The agreement of the cross sections with the Standard Model prediction allows a limit to be set on the W decay rate to undetectable final states.

3 data tables

The overal total cross section.

Cross sections for the fully leptonic decay channels.

Cross sections for the parial leptonic and hadronic decay channels.


Measurement of the W boson mass and W+ W- production and decay properties in e+ e- collisions at s**(1/2) = 172-GeV

The OPAL collaboration Ackerstaff, K. ; Alexander, G. ; Allison, John ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.C 1 (1998) 395-424, 1998.
Inspire Record 448093 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.47403

This paper describes the measurement of the W boson mass, M_W, and decay width, Gamma_W, from the direct reconstruction of the invariant mass of its decay products in W pair events collected at a mean centre-of-mass energy of sqrt{s} = 172.12 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. Measurements of the W pair production cross-section, the W decay branching fractions and properties of the W decay final states are also described. A total of 120 candidate W^+W^- events has been selected for an integrated luminosity of 10.36 pb^-1. The W^+W^- production cross-section is measured to be sigma_WW = 12.3 +/- 1.3(stat.) +/- 0.3(syst.) pb, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. The W^+W^- -> qq(bar) l nu and W^+W^- -> qq(bar)qq(bar) final states are used to obtain a direct measurement of Gamma_W = 1.30^{+0.62}_{-0.55}(stat.) +/- 0.18(syst.) GeV. Assuming the Standard Model relation between M_W and Gamma_W, the W boson mass is measured to be M_W = 80.32 +/- 0.30(stat.) +/- 0.09(syst.) GeV. The event properties of the fully-hadronic decays of W^+W^- events are compared to those of the semi-leptonic decays. At the current level of precision there is no evidence for effects of colour reconnection in the observables studied. Combining data recorded by OPAL at sqrt{s} ~ 161-172 GeV, the W boson branching fraction to hadrons is determined to be 69.8^{+3.0}_{-3.2}(stat.) +/- 0.7(syst.)%, consistent with the prediction of the Standard Model. The combined mass measurement from direct reconstruction and from the W^+W^- production cross-sections measured at sqrt{s} ~ 161 and sqrt{s} ~ 172 GeV is M_W = 80.35 +/- 0.24(stat.) +/- 0.07(syst.) GeV.

1 data table

The fit assumptions are as follows: fitting branching ratios (C=BR-FIT), lepton universality is assumed (C=LEPT-UNIVERSALITY), and SM Br (C=BR-SM).


Measurement of the W mass in e+ e- collisions at production threshold

The ALEPH collaboration Barate, R. ; Buskulic, D. ; Decamp, D. ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 401 (1997) 347-362, 1997.
Inspire Record 441188 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.47488

In June 1996, the LEP centre-of-mass energy was raised to 161 GeV. Pair production of W bosons in e + e − collisions was observed for the first time by the LEP experiments. An integrated luminosity of 11 pb −1 was recorded in the ALEPH detector, in which WW candidate events were observed. In 6 events both Ws decay leptonically. In 16 events, one W decays leptonically, the other into hadrons. In the channel where both Ws decay into hadrons, a signal was separated from the large background by means of several multi-variate analyses. The W pair cross-section is measured to be σ WW = 4.23 ± 0.73 (stat.) ± 0.19 (syst.) pb. From this cross-section, the W mass is derived within the framework of the Standard Model: m W = 80.14 ± 0.34 (stat.) ± 0.09 (syst.) ± 0.03 (LEP energy) GeV/ c 2

1 data table

No description provided.


Measurement of the mass of the W boson in e+ e- collisions at S**(1/2) = 161-GeV

The OPAL collaboration Ackerstaff, K. ; Alexander, G. ; Allison, John ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 389 (1996) 416-428, 1996.
Inspire Record 425320 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.47712

This letter describes the first observation of W boson pair production at a centre-of-mass energy s =161 GeV in the OPAL detector at LEP. The analysis is sensitive to all expected W + W − decay channels. A total of 28 events have been selected for an integrated luminosity of 9.89±0.06 pb −1 . This is consistent with the Standard Model expectation, including signal and background contributions. The W pair production cross-section is measured to be σ WW = 3.62 −0.82 +0.93 ±0.16 pb. An analysis of the predicted M W dependence of the accepted cross-section, taking into account interference in the four-fermion production processes, yields M W = 80.40 −0.41−0.10 +0.44+0.09 ±0.10 GeV, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively, and the third arises form the beam energy uncertainty.

1 data table

No description provided.