The Charm Content of W+1 Jet Events as a Probe of the Strange Quark Distribution Function

U. Baur; F. Halzen; S. Keller; M. L. Mangano; K. Riesselmann

Paper

The Charm Content of W+1 Jet Events as a Probe of the Strange Quark Distribution Function

Abstract

We investigate the prospects for measuring the strange quark distribution function of the proton in associated

plus charm quark production at the Tevatron. The

quark signal produced by strange quark -- gluon fusion,

and

, is approximately 5\% of the inclusive

jet cross section for jets with a transverse momentum

~GeV. We study the sensitivity of the

plus charm quark cross section to the parametrization of the strange quark distribution function, and evaluate the various background processes. Strategies to identify charm quarks in CDF and DØ\ are discussed. For a charm tagging efficiency of about 10\% and an integrated luminosity of 30~pb

or more, it should be possible to constrain the strange quark distribution function from

production at the Tevatron.