ATLAS Experiment's Most Precise Measurement of the W-Boson Mass

The @ATLASExperiment at @CERN has just released its most precise measurement of the #Wboson mass.

This is a fundamental parameter of Nature – and ATLAS’ measurement is in line with the Standard Model of particle physics. Here’s what that means ⤵️

— ATLAS Experiment (@ATLASexperiment) March 23, 2023

If new particles exist, the W-boson mass should deviate slightly from the Standard Model. However it is extremely difficult to measure with high precision!

To be sensitive to new physics, mass measurements need to have tiny uncertainties – around 0.01%. https://t.co/jT1VraZImQ

— ATLAS Experiment (@ATLASexperiment) March 23, 2023

ATLAS researchers have been working for over a decade to measure the mass of the #Wboson with better and better precision.

In their newest result, the team revisited a 2017 measurement, reanalysing a sample of W bosons produced in 7 TeV proton-proton collisions at the #LHC. pic.twitter.com/kOZ0rd0Iqe

— ATLAS Experiment (@ATLASexperiment) March 23, 2023

So what did they find? ATLAS researchers measured the mass of the W boson to be 80360 MeV with an uncertainty of 16 MeV.

This is 16% more precise than the previous ATLAS result, and is in agreement with the Standard Model. pic.twitter.com/QXbLArmj0C

— ATLAS Experiment (@ATLASexperiment) March 23, 2023

Here you can see the @ATLASexperiment’s measured value of the W-boson mass compared to other published results.

The vertical bands show the Standard Model prediction, and the horizontal bands and lines show the statistical and total uncertainties of the published results. pic.twitter.com/8Ihsn1RcwY

— ATLAS Experiment (@ATLASexperiment) March 23, 2023