Measurement of the $W$-boson production cross-sections in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in the forward region

Abstract

A precision measurement of the $W$-boson production cross-section is performed using the $W \to μν$ decay channel, based on a sample of proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.1 $fb^{-1}$. The cross-section is measured for muons with transverse momentum between 25 and 55 GeV and pseudorapidity between 2.0 and 4.5. The integrated production cross-sections of $W$ bosons are measured to be $$ \begin{array}{lcl} σ_{W^+ \to μ^+ν} &=& 1754.2 \pm 1.5 \pm 11.9 \pm 35.1\text{ pb} \\ σ_{W^- \to μ^-\barν} &=& 1178.1 \pm 1.3 \pm 9.7 \pm 23.6\text{ pb} \end{array} $$ where uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the luminosity determination, respectively. Results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions at next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics. This measurement is significantly more precise than previous results in this kinematic regime.

All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lbfence.cern.ch/alcm/public/analysis/full-details/5190/