Abstract:
A measurement of the inclusive cross section for the process pp -> b (b) over barX -> mu mu X' at root s = 7TeV is presented, based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 27.9 pb(-1) collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. By selecting pairs of muons each with pseudorapidity vertical bar eta vertical bar < 2.1, the value sigma(pp -> b<(b)over bar>X -> mu mu X') = 26.4 +/- 0.1 (stat.) +/- 2.4 (syst.) +/- 1.1 (lumi.) nb is obtained for muons with transverse momentum p(T) > 4 GeV, and 5.12 +/- 0.03 (stat.) +/- 0.48 (syst.) +/- 0.20 (lumi.) nb for p(T) > 6 GeV. These results are compared to QCD predictions at leading and next-to-leading orders.
