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Title: A Measurement of the Z Boson Transverse Momentum Distribution, and of the ZZ and WZ Production Cross Sections Using 7.3-8.6 fb$$^{-1}$$ of $$p\bar{p}$$ Collisions at $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 1.96 TeV

Thesis/Dissertation ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1247697· OSTI ID:1247697
 [1]
  1. Univ. of Manchester (United Kingdom)

Two analyses are performed with the large samples of dielectron and dimuon events collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron $$p\bar{p}$$ collider. The dilepton transverse momentum ($$p_T$$) distribution in $$Z/\gamma^* → \ell^+\ell^-$$ production is a powerful probe of Quantum chromodynamics. Until now, this distribution has been measured with limited precision. An alternative variable, $$\phi^*_\eta$$, is proposed due to its relatively low susceptibility to detector effects. The $$\phi^*_\eta$$, distribution of events with $$Z/\gamma^* → \ell^+\ell^-$$ invariant masses between 70 and 110 GeV, is measured in three bins of dilepton rapidity. This measurement, with 7.3 fb$$^{-1}$$ of data, is significantly more precise than previous measurements of the $$p_T$$ distribution. A state-of-the-art QCD Monte Carlo program is in modest agreement with the data. Using 8.6 fb$$^{-1}$$ of data, the $$ZZ/\gamma^* → \nu\bar{\nu}\ell^+\ell^-$$ and $$WZ/\gamma^* → \ell\nu\ell^+\ell^-$$ processes are studied, yielding production cross sections of, $$\sigma(p\bar{p} \rightarrow ZZ/\gamma^*)$$ = 1.64 $$\pm$$ 0.46 p b and $$\sigma(p\bar{p} \rightarrow WZ/\gamma^*)$$ = 4.46 $$\pm$$ 0.64 pb, for $$Z/\gamma^* → \ell^+\ell^-$$ invariant masses between 60 and 130 GeV. These are in agreement with Standard Model predictions.

Research Organization:
Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-07CH11359
OSTI ID:
1247697
Report Number(s):
FERMILAB-THESIS-2011-35; 1083675
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English