https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-020-8367-y
Regular Article - Theoretical Physics
Electroweak physics in inclusive deep inelastic scattering at the LHeC
1
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, Föhringer Ring 6, 80805, Munich, Germany
2
University of Liverpool, Oxford Street, L69 7ZE, Liverpool, UK
3
PRISMA+ Cluster of Excellence, Institut für Physik, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Staudinger Weg 7, 55099, Mainz, Germany
Received:
28
July
2020
Accepted:
14
August
2020
Published online:
7
September
2020
At the proposed electron-proton collider LHeC electroweak interactions can be uniquely studied in a largely unexplored kinematic region of spacelike momentum transfer. We simulate inclusive neutral- and charged-current deep-inelastic lepton proton scattering cross section data at center-of-mass energies of 1.2 and 1.3 TeV, and estimate the uncertainties of Standard Model parameters as well as of parameters describing physics beyond the Standard Model. A precision at sub-percent level is expected for the measurement of the weak neutral-current couplings of the light-quarks to the Z boson, 
, improving their present precision by more than an order of magnitude. The weak mixing angle can be determined with a precision of about 
, and its scale dependence can be studied in the range between about 25 and 700 GeV. An indirect determination of the W-boson mass in the on-shell scheme is possible with an experimental uncertainty down to 
. We discuss how measurements in deep-inelastic scattering compare with those in the timelike domain, and which aspects are unique, for instance electroweak parameters in charged-current interactions. We conclude that the LHeC will determine electroweak physics parameters, in the spacelike region, with unprecedented precision leading to thorough tests of the Standard Model and possibly beyond.
© The Author(s) 2020
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Funded by SCOAP3
