Measurement of the Forward-Backward Charge Asymmetry from W --> e nu Production in p anti-p Collisions at s**(1/2) = 1.96 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry of electrons from W boson decays in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.96 TeV, providing insights into the proton's quark momentum distributions.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed measurement of electron charge asymmetry from W decays at this energy, enhancing understanding of parton distribution functions.

Findings

Asymmetry varies with electron rapidity and energy.

Results constrain u and d quark distributions in the proton.

Data agrees with Standard Model predictions.

Abstract

We report a measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry of electrons from W boson decays in p anti-p collisions at s**(1/2) = 1.96 TeV using a data sample of 170 pb-1 collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. The asymmetry is measured as a function of electron rapidity and transverse energy and provides new input on the momentum fraction dependence of the u and d quark parton distribution within the proton.