Measurements of the inclusive W and Z boson production cross sections and their ratios in proton-proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s}=13.6$$ TeV

Abstract

A bstract Measurements are presented of the W and Z boson production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13.6 TeV. Data collected in 2022 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.01 fb − 1 with one or two identified muons in the final state are analyzed. The results for the products of total inclusive cross sections and branching fractions for muonic decays of W and Z bosons are $${11}.{93}\pm 0.0{8}\left({\text{syst}}\right)\pm 0.{17}{\left({\text{lumi}}\right)}_{-0.07}^{+0.07}$$ (acceptance) nb for W + boson production, $$8.86\pm 0.06\left({\text{syst}}\right)\pm 0.12{\left({\text{lu}}{\text{mi}}\right)}_{-0.06}^{+0.05}$$ (acceptance) nb for W − boson production, and $$2.021\pm 0.009\left({\text{syst}}\right)\pm 0.028{\left({\text{lumi}}\right)}_{-0.013}^{+0.011}$$ (acceptance) nb for the Z boson production in the dimuon mass range of 60–120 GeV, all with negligible statistical uncertainties. Furthermore, the corresponding fiducial cross sections, as well as cross section ratios for both fiducial and total phase space, are provided. The ratios include charge-separated results for W boson production (W + and W − ) and the sum of the two contributions (W ± ), each relative to the measured Z boson production cross section. Additionally, the ratio of the measured cross sections for W + and W − boson production is reported. All measurements are in agreement with theoretical predictions, calculated at next-to-next-to-leading order accuracy in quantum chromodynamics.