QCD radiative corrections to electroweak-boson production at large transverse momentum in hadron collisions.

Abstract

The results of a complete analytical calculation of the next-to-leading-order QCD radiative corrections to the inclusive cross sections $\mathrm{parton}+\mathrm{parton}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}V+X$, where $V$ is an on-shell ${W}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ or ${Z}^{0}$ with transverse momentum ${Q}_{T}$ of order ${M}_{W}$, or a massive virtual photon with ${Q}_{T}$ of order of its invariant mass, are presented. Numerical predictions for $W$, $Z$, and ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{*}$ production at collider energies are also presented. The dependence of the radiative corrections on the choice of renormalization and factorization scales is discussed. The results presented indicate that the QCD-improved parton model can be used to make firm and reliable predictions for electroweak-boson production at large ${Q}_{T}$.