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A. D. Martin

Publications and source records attributed to A. D. Martin.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
arXiv2010

A new window at the LHC: BSM signals using tagged protons

The signature at the LHC of many Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) scenarios is events with large missing energy. If the forward outgoing protons are measured, we show that the production and decay of BSM particles in the central rapidity interval, with gaps in rapidity either side, offers certain advantages over inclusive production, to search for signals (a) with missing longitudinal 4-momentum (typical of invisible Higgs production), and (b) for new light pseudoscalar bosons.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

Update of g-2 of the muon and Delta alpha

We update our Standard Model predictions for g-2 of the muon and for the hadronic contributions to the running of the QED coupling, Delta alpha^5_had(M_Z^2). Particular emphasis is put on recent changes in the hadronic contributions from new data in the 2pi channel and from the energy region just below 2 GeV.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

Factorization breaking in diffractive dijet photoproduction at HERA

We discuss the factorization breaking observed in diffractive dijet photoproduction by the H1 and ZEUS collaborations at HERA. By considering the effects of rapidity gap survival, hadronisation, migration and NLO contributions, we find that the observed data are compatible with theoretical expectations.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

NLO prescription for unintegrated parton distributions

We show how parton distributions unintegrated over the parton transverse momentum, k_t, may be generated, at NLO accuracy, from the known integrated (DGLAP-evolved) parton densities determined from global data analyses. A few numerical examples are given, which demonstrate that sufficient accuracy is obtained by keeping only the LO splitting functions together with the NLO integrated parton densities. However, it is important to keep the precise kinematics of the process, by taking the scale to be the virtuality rather than the transverse momentum, in order to be consistent with the calculation of the NLO splitting functions.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Quantum and thermal effects in dark soliton formation and dynamics in a 1D Bose gas

We numerically study the imprinting and dynamics of dark solitons in a bosonic atomic gas in a tightly-confined one-dimensional harmonic trap both with and without an optical lattice. Quantum and thermal fluctuations are synthesized within the truncated Wigner approximation in the quasi-condensate description. We track the soliton coordinates and calculate position and velocity uncertainties. We find that the phase fluctuations {\em lower} the classically predicted soliton speed and seed instabilities. Individual runs show interactions of solitons with sound waves, splitting and disappearing solitons.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗
arXiv2009

Uncertainties on alpha_S in global PDF analyses and implications for predicted hadronic cross sections

We determine the uncertainty on the strong coupling alpha_S due to the experimental errors on the data fitted in global analysis of hard-scattering data, within the standard framework of leading-twist fixed-order collinear factorisation in the MSbar scheme, finding that alpha_S(M_Z^2) = 0.1202^{+0.0012}_{-0.0015} at next-to-leading order (NLO) and alpha_S(M_Z^2) = 0.1171^{+0.0014}_{-0.0014} at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO). We do not address in detail the issue of the additional theory uncertainty on alpha_S(M_Z^2), but an estimate is +/-0.003 at NLO and at most +/-0.002 at NNLO. We investigate the interplay between uncertainties on alpha_S and uncertainties on parton distribution functions (PDFs). We show, for the first time, how both these sources of uncertainty can be accounted for simultaneously in calculations of cross sections, and we provide eigenvector PDF sets with different fixed alpha_S values to allow further studies by the general user. We illustrate the application of these PDF sets by calculating cross sections for W, Z, Higgs boson and inclusive jet production at the Tevatron and LHC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Radiative QCD backgrounds to exclusive H -> bb(bar) production: radiation from the screening gluon

Central exclusive Higgs boson production, pp -> p+H+p, at the LHC can provide important complementary contribution to the comprehensive study of the Higgs sector in a remarkably clean topology. The bb(bar) Higgs decay mode is especially attractive, and for certain BSM scenarios may even become the discovery channel. Obvious requirements for the success of such exclusive measurements are strongly suppressed and controllable backgrounds. One potential source of background comes from additional gluon radiation which leads to a three-jet bb(bar)g final state. We perform an explicit calculation of the subprocesses gg -> q(bar)qg, gg -> ggg in the case of `internal' gluon radiation from the spectator, t-channel screening gluon, when the two incoming active t-channel gluons form a colour octet. We find that the overall contribution of this source of background is orders of magnitude lower than that caused by the main irreducible background resulting from the gg^{PP} -> b(bar)b subprocess. Therefore, this background contribution can be safely neglected.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Status of MRST/MSTW PDF sets

We outline the historical development of MRST/MSTW parton distribution functions (PDFs), and clarify how they should be regarded when compared to the most up-to-date 2008 MSTW sets, noting which sets are now obsolete and the reasons why.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Soft physics at the LHC

We recall the main features of the Regge approach used to understand soft interactions at LHC and higher energies. Unitarity tames the power growth of the elastic proton-proton scattering amplitude with energy, and leads to the migration of the secondary particles produced in high-energy proton-proton collisions to larger transverse momenta. We discuss, in qualitative terms, the role of processes containing large rapidity gaps (LRG), and the probability that the gaps survive population by secondaries produced in additional soft interactions. We explain how the Regge diagram corresponding to a LRG event simultaneously describes events with different (single, double, etc.) particle density in the same rapidity interval. We show that the role of these, enhanced, multi-Pomeron diagrams can be studied by measuring multiplicity fluctuations and long-range rapidity correlations between secondaries produced at the Tevatron and the LHC. Finally, we make a list of the characteristic features of the multi-Pomeron description of soft interactions that may be observed at the high energies accessible at the Tevatron and the LHC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Parton distributions for the LHC

We present updated leading-order, next-to-leading order and next-to-next-to-leading order parton distribution functions ("MSTW 2008") determined from global analysis of hard-scattering data within the standard framework of leading-twist fixed-order collinear factorisation in the MSbar scheme. These parton distributions supersede the previously available "MRST" sets and should be used for the first LHC data-taking and for the associated theoretical calculations. New data sets fitted include CCFR/NuTeV dimuon cross sections, which constrain the strange quark and antiquark distributions, and Tevatron Run II data on inclusive jet production, the lepton charge asymmetry from W decays and the Z rapidity distribution. Uncertainties are propagated from the experimental errors on the fitted data points using a new dynamic procedure for each eigenvector of the covariance matrix. We discuss the major changes compared to previous MRST fits, briefly compare to parton distributions obtained by other fitting groups, and give predictions for the W and Z total cross sections at the Tevatron and LHC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

On minimum-bias effects at the LHC

In general, minimum-bias triggers planned for experiments at the LHC miss a considerable fraction of the total number of events. We exemplify the rejection rate using the Durham model of soft high-energy interactions to obtain quantitative estimates of the signals arising from the ATLAS scintillation counters positioned in the rapidity intervals 2<|eta|<4, and also from TOTEM detectors covering the intervals 3.1<|eta|<6.5. Typically we find that the expected signal is about half of the total cross section, sigma(tot). We also calculate the cross section for the so-called zero-bias measurement planned by CMS in the extended rapidity interval -5<eta<7. We emphasize that only models which give satisfactory predictions for the measured minimum-bias or zero-bias cross sections can be used to obtain the value of the total inelastic cross section.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Generalised parton distributions at small x

We justify the practical use of the Shuvaev integral transform approach to calculate the skewed distributions, needed to describe diffractive processes, directly from the conventional diagonal global parton distributions. We address doubts which have been raised about this procedure. We emphasise that the approach, on the one hand, satisfies all theoretical reqirements, and, on the other hand, is consistent with DVCS data at NLO. We construct an easily accessible package for the computation of these skewed distributions.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Forward Physics at the LHC

We review two inter-related topics. First, we consider the behaviour of "soft" scattering observables, such as sigma_{tot}, dsigma_{el}/dt, dsigma_{SD}/dtdM^2, particle multiplicities etc., at high-energy proton-(anti)proton colliders. We emphasize the sizeable effects of absorption on high-energy `soft' processes, and, hence, the necessity to include multi-Pomeron-Pomeron interactions in the usual multi-channel eikonal description. We describe a multi-component model which has been tuned to the available data for soft processes in the CERN-ISR to Tevatron energy range, and which therefore allows predictions to be made for `soft' observables at the LHC. The second topic concerns the calculation of the rate of exclusive processes of the form pp --> p+A+p at high energy colliders, where A is a heavy system. In particular, we discuss the survival probability of the rapidity gaps (denoted by the + signs) to both eikonal and enhanced soft rescattering effects. At the LHC energy, the most topical case is when A is a Higgs boson. At the Tevatron, measurements have been made for the exclusive diffractive production of various systems: A being either gamma-gamma, dijet, or a chi_c meson. We compare the observed rates with the expectations. Finally, we describe how predictions for exclusive processes may be checked in the early runs of the LHC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Soft processes at the LHC, I: Multi-component model

We emphasize the sizeable effects of absorption on high-energy `soft' processes, and, hence, the necessity to include multi-Pomeron-Pomeron interactions in the usual multi-channel eikonal description. We present a model which includes a complete set of the multi-Pomeron vertices and which accounts for the diffusion in both, the impact parameter and ln(k_t), of the parton during its evolution in rapidity. We tune the model to the available data for soft processes in the CERN-ISR to Tevatron energy range. We make predictions for `soft' observables at the LHC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

Soft processes at the LHC, II: Soft-hard factorization breaking and gap survival

We calculate the probability that the rapidity gaps in diffractive processes survive both eikonal and enhanced rescattering. We present arguments that enhanced rescattering, which violates soft-hard factorization, is not very strong. Accounting for NLO effects, there is no reason to expect that the black disc regime is reached at the LHC. We discuss the predictions for the survival of the rapidity gaps for exclusive Higgs production at the LHC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2009

The FP420 R&D Project: Higgs and New Physics with forward protons at the LHC

We present the FP420 R&D project, which has been studying the key aspects of the development and installation of a silicon tracker and fast-timing detectors in the LHC tunnel at 420 m from the interaction points of the ATLAS and CMS experiments. These detectors would measure precisely very forward protons in conjunction with the corresponding central detectors as a means to study Standard Model (SM) physics, and to search for and characterise New Physics signals. This report includes a detailed description of the physics case for the detector and, in particular, for the measurement of Central Exclusive Production, pp --> p + phi + p, in which the outgoing protons remain intact and the central system phi may be a single particle such as a SM or MSSM Higgs boson. Other physics topics discussed are gamma-gamma and gamma-p interactions, and diffractive processes. The report includes a detailed study of the trigger strategy, acceptance, reconstruction efficiencies, and expected yields for a particular p p --> p H p measurement with Higgs boson decay in the b-bbar mode. The document also describes the detector acceptance as given by the LHC beam optics between the interaction points and the FP420 location, the machine backgrounds, the new proposed connection cryostat and the moving ("Hamburg") beam-pipe at 420 m, and the radio-frequency impact of the design on the LHC. The last part of the document is devoted to a description of the 3D silicon sensors and associated tracking performances, the design of two fast-timing detectors capable of accurate vertex reconstruction for background rejection at high-luminosities, and the detector alignment and calibration strategy.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2008

Diffractive processes at the LHC

We present a model of high energy soft $pp$ interactions that has multi s- and t-channel components, which has been tuned to describe all the available data. The t-channel components allow matching of the soft to the hard (QCD) Pomeron. Absorptive effects are found to be large, and, for example, suppress the prediction of the total $pp$ cross section to about 90 mb at the LHC. We use the model to calculate the survival probability, S^2, of the rapidity gaps in the exclusive process pp \to p+H+p, a process with great advantages for searching for the H \to \bb signal. We consider both eikonal and enhanced rescattering.

hep-ph↗