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
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.
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.).
The dijet angular distribution is measured in the Collider Detector at Fermilab. This measurement covers higher mass ranges and larger scattering angles than previously possible. Good agreement is observed between the data and both leading-order [O(αs2)] and next-to-leading order [O(αs3)] QCD calculations. A limit on quark compositeness of Λc>1.0 TeV is obtained.
We describe a cone-based jet finding algorithm (similar to that used in\(\bar p\)p experiments), which we have applied to hadronic events recorded using the OPAL detector at LEP. Comparisons are made between jets defined with the cone algorithm and jets found by the “JADE” and “Durham” jet finders usually used ine+e− experiments. Measured jet rates, as a function of the cone size and as a function of the minimum jet energy, have been compared with O(αs2) calculations, from which two complementary measurements\(\alpha _s \left( {M_{Z^0 } } \right)\) have been made. The results are\(\alpha _s \left( {M_{Z^0 } } \right)\)=0.116±0.008 and\(\alpha _s \left( {M_{Z^0 } } \right)\)=0.119±0.008 respectively, where the errors include both experimental and theoretical uncertainties. Measurements are presented of the energy flow inside jets defined using the cone algorithm, and compared with equivalent data from\(\bar p\)p interactions, reported by the CDF collaboration. We find that the jets ine+e− are significantly narrower than those observed in\(\bar p\)p. The main contribution to this effect appears to arise from differences between quark- and gluon-induced jets.
A measurement of the QCD jet-broadening parameter 〈QT〉 is described for high-ET jet data in the central calorimeter of the Collider Detector at Fermilab. As an alternate approach to clustering analysis, this method involves the use of a global event parameter which is free from the ambiguities associated with the definition and separation of individual clusters. The parameter QT is defined as the scalar sum of the transverse momentum perpendicular to the transverse thrust axis. Parton-level QCD predictions are made for 〈QT〉 as a function of ET, the total transverse energy in the events, and suggest that a measurement would show a dependence on the running of the strong coupling constant αs. Comparisons are made to first-order QCD parton-level calculations, as well as to fully evolved and hadronized leading-log simulations. The data are well described by the QCD predictions.
We present a precise measurement of the left-right cross section asymmetry ($A_{LR}$) for $Z$ boson production by $\ee$ collisions. The measurement was performed at a center-of-mass energy of 91.26 GeV with the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The luminosity-weighted average polarization of the SLC electron beam was (63.0$\pm$1.1)%. Using a sample of 49,392 $\z0$ decays, we measure $A_{LR}$ to be 0.1628$\pm$0.0071(stat.)$\pm$0.0028(syst.) which determines the effective weak mixing angle to be $\swein=0.2292\pm0.0009({\rm stat.})\pm0.0004({\rm syst.})$.}
The ZZ production cross section is measured from a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 452 pb(-')(1), collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP at centre-of-mass energies from 192 to 209 GeV. Individual cross sections, ext racted at six centre-of-mass energies, are found to be in agreement with Standard Model calculations. The results are used to set limits on anomalous neutral gauge couplings.
We present the first measurement of the left-right cross section asymmetry (ALR) for Z boson production by e+e− collisions. The measurement was performed at a center-of-mass energy of 91.55 GeV with the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider which utilized a longitudinally polarized electron beam. The average beam polarization was (22.4±0.6)%. Using a sample of 10 224 Z decays, we measure ALR to be 0.100±0.044(stat)±0.004(syst), which determines the effective weak mixing angle to be sin2θWeff=0.2378 ±0.0056(stat)±0.0005(syst).
We present a measurement of the ttbar pair production cross section in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV utilizing approximately 425 pb-1 of data collected with the D0 detector. We consider decay channels containing two high pT charged leptons (either e or \mu) from leptonic decays of both top-daughter W bosons. These were gathered using four sets of selection criteria, three of which required that a pair of fully identified leptons (i.e., e\mu, ee, or \mu\mu) be found. The fourth approach imposed less restrictive criteria on one of the lepton candidates and required that at least one hadronic jet in each event be tagged as containing a b quark. For a top quark mass of 175 GeV, the measured cross section is 7.4 +/-1.4(stat} +/- 1.0(syst) pb.
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