First measurement of the ratio of central-electron to forward-electron W partial cross sections in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We present a measurement of sigma(p (p) over bar -\u3e W)xB(W -\u3e e nu) at root s=1.96 TeV, using electrons identified in the forward region (1.2 \u3c|eta|\u3c 2.8) of the CDF II detector, in 223 pb(-1) of data. We measure sigma xB=2796 +/- 13(stat)(-90)(+95)(syst)+/- 162(lum) pb. Combining this result with a previous CDF measurement obtained using electrons in the central region (|eta|less than or similar to 1), we present the first measurement of the ratio of central-electron to forward-electron W partial cross sections R-exp=0.925 +/- 0.006(stat)+/- 0.032(syst), consistent with theoretical predictions using Coordinated Theoretical-Experimental Project on QCD (CTEQ) and Martin-Roberts-Stirling-Thorne (MRST) parton distribution functions