Amplitude Zeros and Rapidity Correlations in $W\gamma$ and $WZ$ Production in Hadronic Collisions

Abstract

A comparative study of amplitude zeros in $W\gamma$ and $WZ$ production in hadronic collisions is presented. The Standard Model amplitude for $q_1{\bar{q}}_2\to W^{\pm }Z$ at the Born-level is shown to exhibit an approximate zero located at $\cos \theta =(g_{-}^{q_1}+g_{-}^{q_2})/(g_{-}^{q_1}-g_{-}^{q_2})$ at high energies, where the $g_{-}^{q_i}$ ($i=1,2$) are the left-handed couplings of the $Z$-boson to quarks and $\theta$ is the center of mass scattering angle of the $W$-boson. This approximate zero is similar to the well-known radiation zero in $W\gamma$ production. Prospects to observe the amplitude zeros using rapidity correlations between the final state particles are explored.

Comments: 6 pages, talk given at the DPF94 conference, Albuquerque, NM, August 2 - 6, 1994, uuencoded postscript file, FSU-HEP-940815