The production of electrons with very high transverse momentum has been studied in the UA2 experiment at the CERN\(\bar pp\) collider (\(\sqrt s\)=540 GeV). From a sample of events containing an electron candidate withpT>15 GeV/c, we extract a clear signal resulting from the production of the charged intermediate vector bosonW±, which subsequently decays into an electron and a neutrino. We study theW production and decay properties. Further-more, we refine our results on the production and decay of the neutral vector bosonZ0. Finally, we compare the experimental results to the predictions of the standard model of the unified electro-weak theory.

The ratio of the W+≥1 jet cross section to the inclusive W cross section is measured using W±→e±ν events from p¯p collisions at s=1.8TeV. The data are from 108pb−1 of integrated luminosity collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab. Measurements of the cross section ratio for jet transverse energy thresholds (ETmin) ranging from 15 to 95 GeV are compared to theoretical predictions using next-to-leading-order QCD calculations. Data and theory agree well for ETmin>25GeV, where the predictions lie within 1 standard deviation of the measured values.

We report on measurements of inclusive cross sections times branching fractions into electrons for W and Z bosons produced in ppbar collisions at sqrts=1.8 TeV.From an integrated luminosity of 84.5 inverse pb recorded in 1994--1995 using the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron, we determine sigma(ppbar->W+X)B(W->e nu) = 2310 +- 10(stat) +- 50(syst) +- 100(lum) pb and sigma(ppbar->Z+X)B(Z->e e) = 221 +- 3(stat) +- 4(syst) +- 10(lum) pb. From these, we derive their Ratio R = 10.43 +- 0.15(stat) +- 0.20(syst) +- 0.10(NLO), B(W->e nu) = 0.1066 +- 0.0015(stat) +- 0.0021(syst) +- 0.0011(theory)+- 0.0011(NLO), and Gamma_W = 2.130 +- 0.030(stat) +- 0.041(syst) +- 0.022(theory) +- 0.021(NLO) GeV. We use the latter to set a 95% confidence level upper limit on the partial decay width of the W boson into non-standard model final states, Gamma_W^{inv}, of 0.168 GeV. Combining these results with those from the 1992--1993 data gives R = 10.54 +- 0.24, Gamma_W = 2.107 +- 0.054 GeV, and a 95% C.L. upper limit on Gamma_W^{inv} of 0.132 GeV. Using a sample with a luminosity of 505 inverse nb taken at sqrts=630 GeV, we measure sigma(ppbar->W+X)B(W->e nu) = 658 +- 67 pb.

Muons of high transverse momentum p μ T have been observed in the large drift chambers surrounding the UA1 detector at the CERN 540 GeV pp̄ collider. For an integrated luminosity of 108 nb −1 , 14 isolated muons have been found with p T > 15 GeV/ c . They are correlated with a large imbalance in total transverse energy, and show a kinematic behaviour consistent with the muonic decay of the Intermediate Vector Boson W ± of weak interactions. The partial cross section is in agreement with previous measurements for electronic decays and with muon-electron universality. The W mass is determined to be m W = 81 +6 −7 GeV/ c 2 .

An analysis of W and Z boson production at UA1, using 4.66 pb −1 of data from the 1988 and 1989 CERN p p Collider runs at s =0.63 TeV , yields R ≡ σ W Br(W→ μ v)/ σ z Br( Z → μμ )=10.4 −1.5 +1.8 stat.±0.8(syst.) We find R =9.5 −1.0 +1.1 (stat.+syst.) when combining all available UA1 data, in both the electron and muon channel, taken in the period 1983–1989. In the framework of the standard model, the value of R is used to infer the total width of the W boson, Γ W tot =2.18 −0.24 +0.26 (exp.)±0.04(theory) GeV/ c 2 .

A sample of 52 Intermediate Vector Boson decays in the ( v e e) channel is described. They were produced at the CERN SPS Collider for an integrated luminosity of 0.136 pb −1 . Both production and decay properties fit well with expectations from the Standard Model of weak interactions. An improved value for the W mass is given and compared with the previously published value for the Z 0 mass.

The production properties of a sample of 172 charged intermediate vector bosons produced at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron Collider are described. The production cross-section, the longitudinal- and transverse-momentum distributions and the properties of hadronic jet activity produced in association with the weak bosons are in agreement with the expectations of the QCD-improved Drell-Yan mechanism.

The properties of a sample of 172 charged intermediate vector bosons decaying in the (eνe) channel and 16 neutral intermediate vector bosons decaying in the (e+e-) channel are described. Masses, decay widths, decay angular distributions, and production cross-sections are given; they are shown to be in excellent agreement with the expectations of the SU2 ⊗ U1 standard model. A limit is put on the number of light-neutrino types Nν ≤ 10 at 90% c.l.

The transverse momentum distributions ofW andZ bosons produced in\(\bar pp\) collisions at\(\sqrt s= 630 GeV\) are examined. Comparisons are made with QCD predictions, and good agreement is found. The fraction ofW bosons produced withpT>25 GeV is found to be 3.8±0.6(stat)−1.3+0.9(syst)%.

A study of the two-jet mass spectrum measured with the UA 2 calorimeter has revealed a signal from hadronic decays ofW andZ bosons above a large background. Production and decay properties of the signal have been measured. The combined production cross-section σ·B(W, Z → two jets) is 9.6±2.3 (stat.)±1.1 (syst.) nb, compared with an expectation of 5.8 nb calculated to order αs2. A limit on the production cross-section of additional heavy vector bosons decaying into two jets is given as a function of the boson mass.

Results on the production cross sections ofW andZ bosons detected in the UA2 experiment are given based on a large sample ofW→eν andZ→e+e− decays. The measured cross sections are σWe = 660±15(stat)±37(syst)pb, σZe = 70.4±5.5(stat)±4.0(syst)pb and their ratioR=9.38−0.72+0.82(stat)±0.25(syst). In the framework of the Standard Model, the measured value ofR is used to determine the total width of theW, Γ(W)=2.30±0.19(stat)±0.06(syst) GeV.

A study ofW± andZ0 properties has been performed using the UA2 detector at the\(\bar pp\) collider. The data correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 142 nb−1 at\(\sqrt s \)=546 GeV, and of 310 nb−1 at\(\sqrt s \)=630 GeV. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of the Standard Model of the unified electroweak theory.