Search for WZ+ZZ production with MET + jets with b enhancement at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a measurement of combined WZ and ZZ diboson production cross section at the Tevatron using MET and b-jet identification, confirming Standard Model predictions.

Contribution

It introduces a method to measure WZ and ZZ production in hadronic decay modes with b-jet tagging, distinguishing these processes from WW contributions.

Findings

Measured cross section: 5.8 pb with uncertainties

Agreement with Standard Model predictions

Used b-jet tagging to suppress WW background

Abstract

Diboson production ($WW+WZ+ZZ$) has been observed at the Tevatron in hadronic decay modes dominated by the $WW$ process. This paper describes the measurement of the cross section of $WZ$ and $ZZ$ events in final states with large $\mett$ and using $b$-jet identification as a tool to suppress $WW$ contributions. Due to the limited energy resolution, we cannot distinguish between partially hadronic decays of $WZ$ and $ZZ$, and we measure the sum of these processes. The number of signal events is extracted using a simultaneous fit to the invariant mass distribution of the two jets for events with two $b$-jet candidates and events without two $b$-jet candidates. We measure a cross section $\sigma(p\bar{p}\to WZ,ZZ) = 5.8^{+3.6}_{-3.0}$ pb, in agreement with the standard model.