# Identification of top quark production using kinematic and b-tagging techniques in the lepton + jets channel in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.8 TeV

#### Abstract

We identify top quark production in $p\bar p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 1.8 TeV. We select events with a high energy lepton, evidence of a neutrino, and significant jet activity. Within this sample, $t\bar t$ events are isolated first by identifying jets arising from b-quark production via the long lifetime of their decay products and second by selecting events which are kinematically inconsistent with background expectations. We demonstrate a technique for combining these two approaches in order to isolate a significant $t\bar t$ signal and observe 11 events compared to a predicted background of 1.5 $\pm$ 0.4 events. This observed signal excess of 4.5$\sigma$ is more significant than the observed excess using either the b-tagging or kinematic technique alone.

Particle physics

#### Recommended Citation

Houk, Gareth Michael, "Identification of top quark production using kinematic and b-tagging techniques in the lepton + jets channel in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.8 TeV" (1996). Dissertations available from ProQuest. AAI9627935.
https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations/AAI9627935

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