Precision measurements of the W boson mass

The standard model of electroweak interactions has had great success in des cribing the observed data over the past three decades. The precision of exp erimental measurements affords tests of the standard model at the quantum l oop level beyond leading order. Despite this success, it is important to co ntinue confronting experimental measurements with the standard model's pred ictions because any deviation would signal new physics. As a fundamental pa rameter of the standard model, the mass of the W boson, M-W, is of particul ar importance. Aside from being an important test of the model itself, a pr ecision measurement of M-W can be used to constrain the mass of the Higgs b oson, M-H In this article, we review the principal experimental techniques for determining M-W and discuss their combination into a single precision M -W measurement. We conclude by briefly discussing future prospects for prec ision measurements of the W boson mass.