Measurement and interpretation of the W-pair cross-section in e(+)e(-) interactions at 161 GeV

In 1996 LEP ran at a centre-of-mass energy of 161 GeV, just above the threshold of W-pair production. DELPHI accumulated data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.93 pb−1, and observed 29 events that are considered as candidates for W-pair production. From these, a cross-section for the doubly resonant e+e− → WW process of 3.67−0.85+0.97 ± 0.19 pb has been measured. Within the Standard Model, this cross-section corresponds to a mass of the W-boson of 80.40 ± 0.44 (stat.) ± 0.09 (syst.) ± 0.03 (LEP) GeV/c2. Alternatively, if mW is held fixed at its current value determined by other experiments, the observed cross-section is used to obtain limits on trilinear WWV (V ≡ γ, Z) couplings.