Astroparticle Seminar

Studying the Strong Interaction in W/Z events at the LHC

Hugo Beauchemin

Tufts University

Events with jets in the final state are copiously produced via the strong interaction at the LHC. Precise measurements of Standard Model cross sections and parameters as well as most of the searches for new physics benefit from a thorough understanding of QCD, particularly in the perturbative regime. These are among the largest sources of uncertainty on top mass measurements and Higgs cross section estimates. Robust and precise QCD predictions are therefore crucial for the success of the overall LHC physics program. Because they are relatively background-free, and because of the wide range of jet kinematics that they can probe, events with a vector bosons V (with V = W or Z) produced in association with one or more jets provide an ideal test bench to improve our understanding of the strong interaction. Measurements of the kinematic properties and dynamics of V+jet processes and comparisons to theoretical predictions are therefore playing a key role in the LHC physics program. These are the subject of the present note.