A measurement of the W and Z production cross sections and a determination of Γw at the CERN [ovbar|p]p collider

Abstract The decays W → ev and Z → e + e − are studied in [ovbar|p]p collisions at √ s =630 GeV . The products of production cross section and branching ratio are measured as σ e w =682±12±40 pb and σ e w =65.6±4.0±3.8 pb. The results are in good agreement with O(α 2 s ) calculations of the production cross sections. Many systematic effects cancel in the ratio, R =10.4± 0.7 0.6 ±0.3, which can be used to give an indirect measurement of the total width of the W boson: Γ w =2.10±0.13±0.09 GeV . The width gives a limit on the top quark mass, m top >53 GeV (95% CL), which is independent of the top decay mode.