Precision measurement and interpretation of inclusive $$W^+$$ W + , $$W^-$$ W - and $$Z/\gamma ^*$$ Z / γ ∗ production cross sections with the ATLAS detector

High-precision measurements by the ATLAS Collaboration are presented of inclusive W + + , W - - and Z / * ( = e, ) Drell-Yan production cross sections at the LHC. The data were collected in proton-proton collisions at s = 7 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb -1 . Differential W + and W - cross sections are measured in a lepton pseudorapidity range | | < 2.5. Differential Z / * cross sections are measured as a function of the absolute dilepton rapidity, for |y | < 3.6, for three intervals of dilepton mass, m , extending from 46 to 150 GeV. The integrated and differential electron-and muon-channel cross sections are combined and compared to…