Measurement of the $WZ$ Cross Section and Triple Gauge Couplings in $p\bar{p}$ Collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV

Abstract

This Letter describes the current most precise measurement of the $WZ$ production cross section as well as limits on anomalous $WWZ$ couplings at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV in proton-antiproton collisions for the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF). $WZ$ candidates are reconstructed from decays containing three charged leptons and missing energy from a neutrino, where the charged leptons are either electrons or muons. Using data collected by the CDF II detector (7.1 fb${}^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity), 63 candidate events are observed with the expected background contributing $8\pm 1$ events. The measured total cross section $\sigma (p\bar{p}\to WZ)=3.93_{-0.53}^{+0.60}(\text{stat}{)}_{-0.46}^{+0.59}(\text{syst})$ pb is in good agreement with the standard model prediction of $3.50\pm 0.21$. The same sample is used to set limits on anomalous $WWZ$ couplings.

Resubmission to PRD-RC after acceptance (27 July 2012)