Understanding single top quarks using jets

Top quark plus jets production at a hadron collider allows us to study the couplings of the top quark. In the standard model, two single top processes contribute to the top-jets final state. Beyond the standard model, additional direct top production can occur. All three processes probe top gauge couplings including flavor mixing. The structure of accompanying QCD jets allows us to separate the direct top signal from the QCD backgrounds as well as to disentangle the three top plus jets production mechanisms orthogonally to the usual bottom tags.