Using Final State Gluons as Probes of Anomalous Top Quark Couplings at the NLC

Abstract

The rate and corresponding gluon jet energy distribution for the process $e^+e^- \to t\bar tg$ are sensitive to the presence of anomalous dipole-like couplings of the top to the photon and $Z$ at the production vertex as well as to the gluon itself. For sizeable anomalous couplings substantial deviations in the shape and magnitude of the gluon spectrum from the expectations of the Standard Model are anticipated. We explore the capability of the Next Linear Collider to either discover or place bounds on these types of top quark couplings through measurements of the gluon energy distribution. The resulting constraints are found to be quite complementary to those obtained using other techniques. [To appear in the Proceedings of the 1996 DPF/DPB Summer Study on New Directions for High Energy Physics-Snowmass96, Snowmass, CO, 25 June-12 July, 1996.]