Searcharxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2201.08403

Modelling $W^+ W^-$ production with rapidity gaps at the LHC

S. Bailey·L. A. Harland-Lang
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We present a new calculation of $W^+ W^-$ production in the semi-exclusive channel, that is either with intact outgoing protons or rapidity gaps present in the final state, and with no colour flow between the colliding protons. This study provides the first complete prediction of the $W^+ W^-$ semi-exclusive cross section, as well as the breakdown between elastic and proton dissociative channels. It combines the structure function calculation for a precise modelling of the region of low momentum transfers with a parton-level calculation in the region of high momentum transfers. The survival factor probability of no additional proton-proton interactions is fully accounted for, including its kinematic and process dependence. We analyse in detail the role that the pure photon-initiated ($\gamma\gamma \to W^+ W^-$) subprocess plays, a comparison that is only viable by working in the electroweak axial gauge. In this way, we find that the dominance of this is not complete in the proton dissociative cases, although once $Z$-initiated production is included a significantly better matching to the complete calculation is achieved. A direct consequence of this is that the relative elastic, single and double dissociative fractions are in general different in comparison to the case of lepton pair production. We present a direct comparison to the recent ATLAS data on semi-exclusive $W^+ W^-$ production, finding excellent agreement within uncertainties. Our calculation is provided in the publicly available SuperChic 4.1 Monte Carlo (MC) generator, and can be passed to a general purpose MC for showering and hadronization of the final state.

Explore related subjects

hep-phhep-ex

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

S. Bailey, L. A. Harland-Lang. 2022-01-20. Modelling $W^+ W^-$ production with rapidity gaps at the LHC. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.105.093010

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Axionic Wormholes in Metric-Affine Gravity

The axion is a promising candidate for solving the strong CP problem. To solve this problem, the global U(1) symmetry must be preserved to a high degree of accuracy. However, it is well known that global symmetries are explicitly violated by quantum gravity effects, giving rise to what is referred to as the axion quality problem. In this paper, we investigate axionic wormholes as a source of explicit U(1) violation in Metric-Affine Gravity. This framework allows for spacetime torsion and non-metricity, which accommodate additional curvature-like and topological terms, such as the Holst and Nieh--Yan terms, that are absent from the metric and Palatini formalisms. We show that non-minimal couplings to these terms modify the wormhole dynamics and enhance the Euclidean wormhole action, thereby alleviating the axion quality problem. We also find that the viable parameter space is enlarged when two of these couplings are simultaneously present. We further identify representative parameter regions where the alleviation of the axion quality problem is compatible with inflationary constraints.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2026

Qubit-Qutrit Quantum Tomography of hadronic $\Lambda\phi$ and $\Lambda K^{\ast 0}$ systems

Quantum-information observables have emerged in recent years as new tools in nuclear and particle physics, from entanglement in top-quark pairs to spin correlations in $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ production. Extending these studies to unequal-spin hadronic final states poses a fundamental challenge: the $6\times6$ density matrix of a qubit-qutrit system contains 35 independent spin parameters, but the decays of $\Lambda V$ pairs, with $V=\phi$ or $K^{*0}$, provide access to only 23 due to the hidden vector polarization from the strong decay. In this Letter, we formulate a qubit-qutrit quantum tomography (QQQT) technique for these spin-$\tfrac{1}{2}\otimes1$ systems and establish exact criteria for entanglement certification from the \textit{incomplete} density matrix. Compared with the $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ system, QQQT of $\Lambda\phi$ and $\Lambda K^{*0}$ provides a new probe of nonperturbative QCD hadronization, enabling a direct comparison of the spin evolution of entangled quark pairs produced from the vacuum as they hadronize into a baryon or a vector meson.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2026

Twist decomposition of exclusive heavy meson production cross sections

We study the twist decomposition of the total cross sections for exclusive heavy vector meson electroproduction and photoproduction in the $\gamma^\ast p$ processes, within the leading logarithmic $1/x$ BFKL formalism. The Mellin transforms of the impact factors of the vector meson are calculated. We show that the higher twist contributions are strongly suppressed in the low-$x$ kinematical regime. Possible enhancement of the higher twists effects for nuclei targets is discussed.

hep-ph↗