Cross-section measurements for the production of a $Z$ boson in association with high-transverse-momentum jets in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

TL;DR

This paper reports detailed measurements of Z boson production with high-transverse-momentum jets at 13 TeV, comparing results with advanced theoretical models to test their accuracy in describing such events.

Contribution

First comprehensive set of cross-section measurements for Z bosons with high-pT jets at 13 TeV, including angular correlations and boosted topologies, validated against state-of-the-art predictions.

Findings

Data agree with NNLOjet NNLO predictions

Results match NLO multi-leg generator outputs

Measurements support current theoretical models in high-pT regimes

Abstract

Cross-section measurements for a $Z$ boson produced in association with high-transverse-momentum jets ($p_{\mathrm{T}} \geq 100$ GeV) and decaying into a charged-lepton pair ($e^+e^-,\mu^+\mu^-$) are presented. The measurements are performed using proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $139$ fb$^{-1}$ collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Measurements of angular correlations between the $Z$ boson and the closest jet are performed in events with at least one jet with $p_{\mathrm{T}} \geq 500$ GeV. Event topologies of particular interest are the collinear emission of a $Z$ boson in dijet events and a boosted $Z$ boson recoiling against a jet. Fiducial cross sections are compared with state-of-the-art theoretical predictions. The data are found to agree with next-to-next-to-leading-order predictions by NNLOjet and with the next-to-leading-order multi-leg generators MadGraph5_aMC@NLO and Sherpa.