Standard Model Z/gamma to ee production in early data at ATLAS

This thesis examines the measurement of the $Z/gamma^{*} o{}e^{+}e^{-}$ production cross section using 10~TeV $pp$ collisions in the ATLAS detector, including a full analysis of theoretical and experimental uncertainties. Theoretical uncertainties on the kinematic event acceptance arising from QED and QCD processes are estimated, and a method for improving the Monte Carlo background estimate is introduced. The measurement of electron trigger efficiencies from data with the $Z/gamma^{*} o{}e^{+}e^{-}$ channel is also studied, concluding that with between 50 and 150~pb$^{-1}$ of data, differential trigger efficiencies can be measured with $0.5-1%$ precision. The expected uncertainty on the cross section measured with 200~pb$^{-1}$ of data is egin{equation} rac{Deltasigma_{Z/gamma^{*} o{}e^{+}e^{-}}}{sigma_{Z/gamma^{*} o{}e^{+}e^{-}}} = 0.44% mathrm{(stat.)} pm 2.5% mathrm{(exp.)} pm 1.6% mathrm{(theory)} pm (5-30)% mathrm{(lumi.)}. end{equation}