No Arabic abstract
Over the past several years, parton distribution functions (PDFs) have become more precise. However there are still kinematic regions where more data are needed to help constrain global PDF extractions, such as the ratio of the sea quark distributions $bar{d}$/$bar{u}$ near the valence region. Furthermore, current measurements appear to suggest different high-$x$ behaviors of this ratio. The $W$ cross section ratio ($W^+$/$W^-$) is sensitive to the unpolarized quark distributions at large $Q^2$ set by the $W$ mass. Such a measurement can be used to help constrain the $bar{d}$/$bar{u}$ ratio. The STAR experiment at RHIC is well equipped to measure the leptonic decays of $W$ bosons, in the mid-pseudorapdity range $left(|eta| leq 1 right)$, produced in proton-proton collisions at $sqrt{s}$ = 500/510 GeV. At these kinematics STAR is sensitive to quark distributions near $x$ of 0.16. STAR can also measure $W^+$/$W^-$ in a more forward region ranging from 1.0 $< eta <$1.5, which extends the sea quark sensitivity to higher $x$. RHIC runs from 2011 through 2013 have collected about 350 pb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity, and an additional 350 pb$^{-1}$ from the 2017 run. These proceedings will present preliminary results of the 2011-2013 $W^+$/$W^-$ cross section ratio measurements. Additionally, the $W/Z$ cross section ratio, differential and total $W$ and $Z$ cross sections are presented.
Over the past several years, parton distribution functions (PDFs) have become more precise. However there are still kinematic regions where more data are needed to help constrain global PDF extractions, such as the sea quark distributions $bar{d}$/$bar{u}$ near the valence region (Bjorken-x $approx$ 0.1 - 0.3).~Current measurements appear to suggest different high-x behaviors of these distributions, leading to large uncertainties in global fits. The charged W cross section ratio (W$^+$/W$^-$) is sensitive to the unpolarized $u,;d,;bar{u},$ and $bar{d}$ quark distributions at large $Q^2$ set by the $W$ mass and could help shed light on this discrepancy. The STAR experiment at RHIC is well equipped to measure the leptonic decays of W bosons, in the mid-rapidity range $left(|eta| leq 1 right)$, produced in proton+proton collisions at $sqrt{s}$ = 500/510 GeV. At these kinematics STAR is sensitive to quark distributions near Bjorken-x of 0.16. STAR can also measure the W cross section ratio in a more forward bin ranging from 1.1 $< eta <$ 2.0, which extends the sea quark sensitivity to higher x. RHIC runs from 2011 through 2013 have collected about 350 pb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity, and a 2017 run is expected to provide an additional 400 pb$^{-1}$. Presented here are preliminary results for the 2011-2012 charged W cross section ratios ($sim$100pb$^{-1}$) and an update on the 2013 charged W cross section analysis ($sim$250 pb$^{-1}$).
Over the past several years the STAR experiment at RHIC has been contributing to our understanding of the proton structure. Through its instrumentation, STAR is well equipped to measure $W rightarrow u + e$ in $sqrt{s}$ = 500/510 GeV proton-proton collisions at mid-rapidity (-1.1 $le eta le $ 1.1) . The $W$ cross section ratio ($W^+/W^-$) is sensitive to unpolarized $u$, $d$, $bar{u}$, and $bar{d}$ quark distributions. At these kinematics, STAR is able to measure the quark distributions near Bjorken-$x$ values of 0.1. The RHIC runs in 2011, 2012 and 2013 at $sqrt{s}$ = 500/510 GeV saw a significant increase in delivered luminosity from previous years. This resulted in a total data sample being collected of about 352 pb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. The increased statistics will lead to a higher precision measurement of the $W^+/W^-$ cross section ratio than was previously measured by STARs 2009 run, as well as allow for a measurement of its $eta$ dependence at mid-rapidity. Presented here is an update of the $W$ cross section ratio analysis from the STAR 2011, 2012 and 2013 runs.
One of the primary goals of the spin program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) is to determine the polarization of the sea quarks and gluons in the proton. The polarization of the sea quarks is probed through the production of $W^{-(+)}$ bosons via the annihilation of $bar{u}+d,(bar{d}+u)$, at leading order. In this proceedings we report measurements of the single-spin asymmetry, $A_{L}$, for $W$ boson production at $sqrt{s} = 510$ GeV, and the new constraints these results place on the antiquark helicity distributions. Recent results on the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry, $A_{LL}$, for inclusive and di-jet production at $sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV are also presented. The inclusive jet results provide the first experimental indication of non-zero gluon polarization in the $x$ range probed at RHIC.
The total $W$-boson decay width $Gamma_W$ is an important observable which allows testing of the standard model. The current world average value is based on direct measurements of final state kinematic properties of $W$-boson decays, and has a relative uncertainty of 2%. The indirect determination of $Gamma_W$ via the cross-section measurements of vector-boson production can lead to a similar accuracy. The same methodology leads also to a determination of the leptonic branching ratio. This approach has been successfully pursued by the CDF and D0 experiments at the Tevatron collider, as well as by the CMS collaboration at the LHC. In this paper we present for the first time a combination of the available measurements at hadron colliders, accounting for the correlations of the associated systematic uncertainties. Our combination leads to values of $textrm{BR}(Wrightarrowmu u)=(10.72 pm 0.16)%$ and $Gamma_W = 2113 pm 31$ MeV, respectively, both compatible with the current world averages.
This report is based on a ten-week program on Gluons and the quark sea at high-energies, which took place at the Institute for Nuclear Theory in Seattle in Fall 2010. The principal aim of the program was to develop and sharpen the science case for an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a facility that will be able to collide electrons and positrons with polarized protons and with light to heavy nuclei at high energies, offering unprecedented possibilities for in-depth studies of quantum chromodynamics. This report is organized around four major themes: i) the spin and flavor structure of the proton, ii) three-dimensional structure of nucleons and nuclei in momentum and configuration space, iii) QCD matter in nuclei, and iv) Electroweak physics and the search for physics beyond the Standard Model. Beginning with an executive summary, the report contains tables of key measurements, chapter overviews for each of the major scientific themes, and detailed individual contributions on various aspects of the scientific opportunities presented by an EIC.