[Paper Review] Electroweak Physics at HERA: Introduction and Summary

R.J. Cashmore, E. Elsen+2 more|ArXiv.org|Oct 4, 1996

Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies3 citations

TL;DR

This paper summarizes the potential of HERA, a high-energy electron-proton collider, to probe electroweak physics through precision measurements of quark neutral current couplings and W boson production. Upgraded luminosity enables testing of Standard Model parameters and searches for new physics, complementing LEP 2 and Tevatron results with high-precision data on electroweak interactions at high momentum transfer.

ABSTRACT

A high luminosity upgrade of HERA will allow the measurement of standard model parameters and the neutral current couplings of quarks. These results will have to be consistent with other precision measurements or indicate traces of new physics. The analysis of $W$ production will complement future results of LEP 2 and the Tevatron. We summarize the main results and conclusions obtained by the working group on Electroweak Physics concerning the potential of future experimentation at HERA.

Motivation & Objective

• To assess the potential of future high-luminosity HERA experiments to measure Standard Model parameters with high precision.
• To evaluate the sensitivity of HERA to neutral current couplings of quarks, which are key probes of electroweak symmetry breaking.
• To explore the complementarity of HERA's W boson production measurements with those from LEP 2 and the Tevatron.
• To identify signatures of new physics beyond the Standard Model through deviations in electroweak observables.
• To provide a comprehensive summary of the working group's findings on electroweak physics at HERA for future experimental planning.

Proposed method

• Leveraging high-luminosity electron-proton collisions at HERA to access high-momentum-transfer processes.
• Analyzing deep inelastic scattering events to extract quark neutral current couplings via precision measurements.
• Studying W boson production in ep collisions to probe the electroweak vector boson couplings and quark charges.
• Comparing HERA results with existing LEP 2 and Tevatron data to enhance global electroweak fits.
• Using theoretical frameworks of quantum chromodynamics and electroweak theory to interpret experimental observables.
• Applying statistical and systematic error estimates to determine the sensitivity of HERA to new physics beyond the Standard Model.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What is the sensitivity of HERA to precise measurements of quark neutral current couplings at high Q²?
• RQ2 How do HERA's W boson production measurements complement those from LEP 2 and the Tevatron?
• RQ3 To what extent can HERA data constrain Standard Model parameters or reveal deviations indicating new physics?
• RQ4 What are the expected precision levels for electroweak observables at HERA with a high-luminosity upgrade?
• RQ5 How do the electroweak couplings measured at HERA compare with global electroweak fits from other experiments?

Key findings

• HERA's high-luminosity upgrade enables precision measurements of quark neutral current couplings, providing a critical test of the Standard Model.
• The analysis of W boson production at HERA offers complementary constraints on electroweak parameters, particularly quark charges and couplings.
• HERA results are expected to be consistent with other precision electroweak measurements, such as those from LEP 2 and the Tevatron.
• Deviations in HERA data from Standard Model predictions could signal new physics, such as anomalous couplings or new resonances.
• The working group concludes that HERA has significant potential to probe electroweak symmetry breaking and extend the reach of precision electroweak physics.
• The complete electroweak physics report from the HERA working group is available for detailed analysis and future experimental design.