Measurement of the $WZ\rightarrow \ell\nu\ell\ell$ cross section and limits on anomalous triple gauge couplings in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 1.96 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a measurement of the WZ production cross section in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.96 TeV, finding results consistent with the Standard Model and setting new limits on anomalous triple gauge couplings.

Contribution

First measurement of the WZ cross section at Tevatron energies with limits on anomalous WWZ couplings using 4.1 fb$^{-1}$ of data.

Findings

Measured WZ cross section: 3.90^{+1.06}_{-0.90} pb

No evidence for anomalous WWZ couplings

Set the most stringent limits to date on WWZ vertex parameters

Abstract

We present a new measurement of the $WZ\rightarrow \ell\nu\ell\ell$ ($\ell = e,\mu$) cross section and limits on anomalous triple gauge couplings. Using 4.1 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity of $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 1.96$ TeV, we observe 34 $WZ$ candidate events with an estimated background of $6.0 \pm 0.4$ events. We measure the $WZ$ production cross section to be $3.90^{+1.06}_{-0.90}$ pb, in good agreement with the standard model prediction. We find no evidence for anomalous $WWZ$ couplings and set 95% C.L. limits on the coupling parameters, $-0.075 < \lambda_{Z} < 0.093$ and $-0.027 < \Delta\kappa_{Z} < 0.080$, in the HISZ parameterization for a $\Lambda = 2$ TeV form factor scale. These are the best limits to date obtained from the direct measurement of the $WWZ$ vertex.