Production of electroweak gauge bosons at forward rapidities in the color-dipole S-matrix framework

Abstract

The cross-section for the production of an electroweak gauge boson (G = W±, Z0, γ) at forward rapidities in pp collisions is derived within the color-dipole S-matrix framework. We present the full expressions for the differential cross-section of the qp → GX process in the impact parameter and transverse momentum spaces, considering the longitudinal and transverse polarizations of the gauge boson. The particular cases associated with the Drell-Yan process and real photon production are discussed. We demonstrate that the final formulae are expressed in terms of the dipole-proton cross-section or the unintegrated gluon distribution, and can be used to estimate the impact of the saturation effects in the gauge boson production at the LHC and future colliders.