Measurement of the $WZ\rightarrow \ell\nu\ell\ell$ cross section and limits on anomalous triple gauge couplings in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 1.96 TeV

Abstract

We present a new measurement of the $WZ\rightarrow \ell\nu\ell\ell$ ($\ell = e,\mu$) cross section and limits on anomalous triple gauge couplings. Using 4.1 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity of $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 1.96$ TeV, we observe 34 $WZ$ candidate events with an estimated background of $6.0 \pm 0.4$ events. We measure the $WZ$ production cross section to be $3.90^{+1.06}_{-0.90}$ pb, in good agreement with the standard model prediction. We find no evidence for anomalous $WWZ$ couplings and set 95% C.L. limits on the coupling parameters, $-0.075 < \lambda_{Z} < 0.093$ and $-0.027 < \Delta\kappa_{Z} < 0.080$, in the HISZ parameterization for a $\Lambda = 2$ TeV form factor scale. These are the best limits to date obtained from the direct measurement of the $WWZ$ vertex.