Measurement of the differential cross sections for $W$-boson production in association with jets in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV

TL;DR

This study measures the production cross sections of $W$ bosons with jets in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.96 TeV, using a decade of data from the Tevatron, and compares results with theoretical models.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive measurement of $W$+jets differential cross sections at Tevatron energies with full data set analysis.

Findings

Measured cross sections for $W$+jets agree with theoretical predictions.

Confirmed lepton universality in $W$ decay channels.

Provided detailed differential cross section data for various jet multiplicities.

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the production of a single $W$ boson in association with one or more jets in proton-antiproton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV, using the entire data set collected in 2001-2011 by the Collider Detector at Fermilab at the Tevatron, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $9.0$ fb$^{-1}$. The $W$ boson is identified through its leptonic decays into electron and muon. The production cross sections are measured for each leptonic decay mode and combined after testing that the ratio of the $W(\rightarrow \mu\nu)+$jets cross section to the $W(\rightarrow e\nu)+$jets cross section agrees with the hypothesis of $e$-$\mu$ lepton universality. The combination of measured cross sections, differential in the inclusive jet multiplicity ($W+\geqslant N$ jets with $N=1,\,2,\,3, \textrm{or }4$) and in the transverse energy of the leading jet, are compared with theoretical predictions.