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Hard Scattering Based Luminosity Measurement at Hadron Colliders

Walter T. Giele, Stephane A. Keller

TL;DR

The paper develops a framework for luminosity determination at hadron colliders by using correlated W- and Z-boson production, with a focus on propagating PDF uncertainties through NLO predictions. By comparing theory to D0 Run 1 data and treating the cross sections as PDF-driven distributions, it derives a luminosity estimate that is competitive with traditional methods and benefits from cancellations in correlated observables. The approach enables consistency checks via the W/Z ratio and extends to predicting other observables, such as top-quark pair production, with reduced luminosity-induced errors. The results suggest that W/Z-based luminosity determination can complement or potentially replace traditional strategies in current and future high-energy colliders.

Abstract

A strategy to determine the luminosity at Hadron Colliders is discussed using the simultaneous W-boson and Z-boson event counts. The emphasis of the study will be on the uncertainty induced by the parton density functions. Understanding this source of uncertainties is crucial for a reliable luminosity determination using the W-boson and Z-boson events. As an example we will use the D0 run 1 results to extract the luminosity using the vector boson events and compare the result with the traditional method. Subsequently we will look at the implications for the top cross section uncertainties using the extracted luminosity.

Hard Scattering Based Luminosity Measurement at Hadron Colliders

TL;DR

The paper develops a framework for luminosity determination at hadron colliders by using correlated W- and Z-boson production, with a focus on propagating PDF uncertainties through NLO predictions. By comparing theory to D0 Run 1 data and treating the cross sections as PDF-driven distributions, it derives a luminosity estimate that is competitive with traditional methods and benefits from cancellations in correlated observables. The approach enables consistency checks via the W/Z ratio and extends to predicting other observables, such as top-quark pair production, with reduced luminosity-induced errors. The results suggest that W/Z-based luminosity determination can complement or potentially replace traditional strategies in current and future high-energy colliders.

Abstract

A strategy to determine the luminosity at Hadron Colliders is discussed using the simultaneous W-boson and Z-boson event counts. The emphasis of the study will be on the uncertainty induced by the parton density functions. Understanding this source of uncertainties is crucial for a reliable luminosity determination using the W-boson and Z-boson events. As an example we will use the D0 run 1 results to extract the luminosity using the vector boson events and compare the result with the traditional method. Subsequently we will look at the implications for the top cross section uncertainties using the extracted luminosity.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 6 sections, 16 equations, 2 figures, 6 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Theoretical Considerations
  3. Cross Section Results and Comparisons
  4. Luminosity Determinations
  5. Using the measured luminosity.
  6. Conclusions

Figures (2)

  • Figure 1: The optimized PDF scatter predictions (blue) compared to the D0 run 1a (magenta) and run 1b (red) measurements. Also indicated is the D0 ratio measurement (green).
  • Figure 2: The run 1b luminosity determination is shown. In red is the D0 inelastic $p\bar{p}$ based determination, while in blue is the luminosity probability density function based on the $W$-boson and $Z$-boson event rates.