Charge asymmetry in W + jets production at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper investigates the charge asymmetry in W + jets production at the LHC within the Standard Model, emphasizing its potential to detect New Physics by analyzing the ratio of W+ to W- events and assessing theoretical uncertainties.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the charge asymmetry ratio and quantifies the theoretical uncertainties, establishing it as a sensitive probe for New Physics beyond the Standard Model.

Findings

Uncertainties in the ratio are about a few percent.

The charge asymmetry ratio is a promising diagnostic for New Physics.

Higher-order corrections and PDFs have manageable uncertainties.

Abstract

The charge asymmetry in W + jets production at the LHC can serve to calibrate the presence of New Physics contributions. We study the ratio {\sigma}(W^+ + n jets)/{\sigma}(W^- + n jets) in the Standard Model for n <= 4, paying particular attention to the uncertainty in the prediction from higher-order perturbative corrections and uncertainties in parton distribution functions. We show that these uncertainties are generally of order a few percent, making the experimental measurement of the charge asymmetry ratio a particularly useful diagnostic tool for New Physics contributions.