Improved effective vector boson approximation revisited

Abstract

We reexamine the improved effective vector boson approximation which is based on two-vector-boson luminosities ${\mathbf{L}}_{\mathrm{pol}}$ for the computation of weak gauge-boson hard scattering subprocesses $V_1{V}_2\to \mathcal{W}$ in high-energy hadron-hadron or $e^{-}{e}^{+}$ collisions. We calculate these luminosities for the nine combinations of the transverse and longitudinal polarizations of $V_1$ and $V_2$ in the unitary and axial gauge. For these two gauge choices the quality of this approach is investigated for the reactions $e^{-}{e}^{+}\to W^{-}{W}^{+}{\nu }_e{\bar{\nu }}_e$ and $e^{-}{e}^{+}\to t\bar{t}{\nu }_e{\bar{\nu }}_e$ using appropriate phase-space cuts.

Comments: Two-vector-boson luminosities now computed also in axial gauge. One figure and references added. Version to appear in Physical Review D