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A. Ferroglia

Publications and source records attributed to A. Ferroglia.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2009

Two-Loop Planar Corrections to Heavy-Quark Pair Production in the Quark-Antiquark Channel

We evaluate the planar two-loop QCD diagrams contributing to the leading color coefficient of the heavy-quark pair production cross section, in the quark-antiquark annihilation channel. We obtain the leading color coefficient in an analytic form, in terms of one- and two-dimensional harmonic polylogarithms of maximal weight 4. The result is valid for arbitrary values of the Mandelstam invariants s and t, and of the heavy-quark mass m. Our findings agree with previous analytic results in the small-mass limit and numerical results for the exact amplitude.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Two-Loop QCD Corrections to the Heavy-to-Light Quark Decay

We present an analytic expression for the two-loop QCD corrections to the decay process b -> u W^*, where b and u are a massive and massless quark, respectively, while W^* is an off-shell charged weak boson. Since the W-boson can subsequently decay in a lepton anti-neutrino pair, the results of this paper are a first step towards a fully analytic computation of differential distributions for the semileptonic decay of a b-quark. The latter partonic process plays a crucial role in the study of inclusive semileptonic charmless decays of B-mesons. The three independent form factors characterizing the b W u vertex are provided in form of a Laurent series in (d-4), where d is the space-time dimension. The coefficients in the series are expressed in terms of Harmonic Polylogarithms of maximal weight 4, and are functions of the invariant mass of the leptonic decay products of the W-boson.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Bhabha Scattering at NNLO

We review the status of the calculation of next-to-next-to-leading order corrections to large angle Bhabha scattering in pure QED. After discussing the electron-loop and photonic corrections, we focus on the recently calculated two-loop virtual corrections involving a heavy-flavor fermion loop. We conclude by assessing the numerical impact of these corrections on the Bhabha scattering cross section at colliders operating at a center of mass energy of about 1-GeV.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Two-Loop QED Heavy-Flavor Contribution to Bhabha Scattering

We briefly review the status of the calculation of next-to-next-to-leading order corrections to large angle Bhabha scattering in pure QED. In particular, we focus on the analytic calculation of the two-loop virtual corrections involving a heavy-flavor fermion loop, which was recently completed. We conclude by assessing the numerical impact of these corrections on the Bhabha scattering cross section at colliders operating at a center of mass energy of 1 GeV and at the future ILC.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Two-Loop Fermionic Corrections to Heavy-Quark Pair Production: the Quark-Antiquark Channel

We evaluate the fermionic two-loop QCD corrections to the heavy-quark pair production process in the quark-antiquark channel. We obtain analytic results which are valid for any value of the Mandelstam invariants s and t, and of the heavy quark mass m. Our findings confirm previous results for the analytic evaluation in the small-mass limit and numerical results for the exact amplitude. We furthermore provide the expansion of the two-loop amplitude at the production threshold s ~ 4m^2.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

Calculation of the Two-Loop Heavy-Flavor Contribution to Bhabha Scattering

We describe in detail the calculation of the two-loop corrections to the QED Bhabha scattering cross section due to the vacuum polarization by heavy fermions. Our approach eliminates one mass scale from the most challenging part of the calculation and allows us to obtain the corrections in a closed analytical form. The result is valid for arbitrary values of the heavy fermion mass and the Mandelstam invariants, as long as s,t,u >> m_e^2.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2007

Two-Loop Heavy-Flavor Contribution to Bhabha Scattering

We evaluate the two-loop QED corrections to the Bhabha scattering cross section which involve the vacuum polarization by heavy fermions of arbitrary mass m_f >> m_e. The results are valid for generic values of the Mandelstam invariants s,t,u >> m_e^2.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Estimate of BR(B -> X_s gamma) at O(alpha_s^2)

Combining our results for various O(alpha_s^2) corrections to the weak radiative B-meson decay, we are able to present the first estimate of the branching ratio at the next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD. We find BR(B -> X_s gamma) = (3.15 +_ 0.23) x 10^-4 for E_gamma > 1.6 GeV in the B-meson rest frame. The four types of uncertainties: non-perturbative (5%), parametric (3%), higher-order (3%) and m_c-interpolation ambiguity (3%) have been added in quadrature to obtain the total error.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Two-Loop Renormalization in the Standard Model Part I: Prolegomena

In this paper the building blocks for the two-loop renormalization of the Standard Model are introduced with a comprehensive discussion of the special vertices induced in the Lagrangian by a particular diagonalization of the neutral sector and by two alternative treatments of the Higgs tadpoles. Dyson resummed propagators for the gauge bosons are derived, and two-loop Ward-Slavnov-Taylor identities are discussed. In part II, the complete set of counterterms needed for the two-loop renormalization will be derived. In part III, a renormalization scheme will be introduced, connecting the renormalized quantities to an input parameter set of (pseudo-)experimental data, critically discussing renormalization of a gauge theory with unstable particles.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

The Z' reconsidered

We consider the extension of the standard model with an arbitrary number of U(1) gauge fields coupled to baryon-minus-lepton number and/or hypercharge. Under the assumption that A^b_FB from the LEP1 experiment is an unlucky fluctuation, we find moderate evidence for the presence of such fields in the precision electroweak data. A relatively large range of the Higgs boson mass is allowed. We discuss the phenomenology of the extra U(1) fields.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Magnetic dipole operator contributions to the photon energy spectrum in anti-B -> X(s) gamma at O(alpha(s)^2)

We compute the O(α_s^2) contributions to the photon energy spectrum of the inclusive decay \bar{B} -> X_s γassociated with the magnetic penguin operator O_7. They are an essential part of the ongoing NNLO calculation of this important decay. We use two different methods to evaluate the master integrals, one based on the differential equation approach and the other on sector decomposition, leading to identical results which in turn agree with those of a recent independent calculation by Melnikov and Mitov. We study the numerical relevance of this set of NNLO contributions in the photon energy spectrum and discuss the change of bottom quark mass scheme.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Two-Loop N_F=1 QED Bhabha Scattering Differential Cross Section

We calculate the two-loop virtual, UV renormalized corrections at order α^4 (N_F=1) in QED to the Bhabha scattering differential cross section, for arbitrary values of the squared c.m. energy s and momentum transfer t, and on-shell electrons and positrons of finite mass m. The calculation is carried out within the dimensional regularization scheme; the remaining IR divergences appear as polar singularities in (D-4). The result is presented in terms of 1- and 2-dimensional harmonic polylogarithms, of maximum weight 3.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2006

Two-Loop N_F =1 QED Bhabha Scattering: Soft Emission and Numerical Evaluation of the Differential Cross-section

Recently, we evaluated the virtual cross-section for Bhabha scattering in pure QED, up to corrections of order alpha^4 (N_F =1). This calculation is valid for arbitrary values of the squared center of mass energy s and momentum transfer t; the electron and positron mass m was considered a finite, non vanishing quantity. In the present work, we supplement the previous calculation by considering the contribution of the soft photon emission diagrams to the differential cross-section, up to and including terms of order alpha^4 (N_F=1). Adding the contribution of the real corrections to the renormalized virtual ones, we obtain an UV and IR finite differential cross-section; we evaluate this quantity numerically for a significant set of values of the squared center of mass energy s.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2005

Two-Loop Bhabha Scattering in QED

In the context of pure QED, we obtain analytic expressions for the contributions to the Bhabha scattering differential cross section at order alpha^4 which originate from the interference of two-loop photonic vertices with tree-level diagrams and from the interference of one-loop photonic diagrams amongst themselves. The ultraviolet renormalization is carried out. The IR-divergent soft-photon emission corrections are evaluated and added to the virtual cross section. The cross section obtained in this manner is valid for on-shell electrons and positrons of finite mass, and for arbitrary values of the center of mass energy and momentum transfer. We provide the expansion of our results in powers of the electron mass, and we compare them with the corresponding expansion of the complete order alpha^4 photonic cross section, recently obtained in hep-ph/0501120. As a by-product, we obtain the contribution to the Bhabha scattering differential cross section of the interference of the two-loop photonic boxes with the tree-level diagrams, up to terms suppressed by positive powers of the electron mass. We evaluate numerically the various contributions to the cross section, paying particular attention to the comparison between exact and expanded results.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Two-Loop Tensor Integrals in Quantum Field Theory

A comprehensive study is performed of general massive, tensor, two-loop Feynman diagrams with two and three external legs. Reduction to generalized scalar functions is discussed. Integral representations, supporting the same class of smoothness algorithms already employed for the numerical evaluation of ordinary scalar functions, are introduced for each family of diagrams.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Bounds on the Higgs Boson Mass from M_W

Recent experimental and theoretical progress in the M_H estimates from M_W and Sin^2_eff_lept is reviewed, with particular emphasis on the role played by M_t. Assuming that the SM is correct and taking into account the lower bound on M_H from direct searches, we derive restrictive bounds on M_W and M_t. We also discuss a representative ``benchmark'' scenario for the possible future evolution of these parameters. Amusingly, this benchmark scenario suggested some time ago a value for M_t that turned out to be in very close agreement with its most recent experimental determination.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Planar box diagram for the (N_F = 1) 2-loop QED virtual corrections to Bhabha scattering

In this paper we present the master integrals necessary for the analytic calculation of the box diagrams with one electron loop (N_{F}=1) entering in the 2-loop (α^3) QED virtual corrections to the Bhabha scattering amplitude of the electron. We consider on-shell electrons and positrons of finite mass m, arbitrary squared c.m. energy s, and momentum transfer t; both UV and soft IR divergences are regulated within the continuous D-dimensional regularization scheme. After a brief overview of the method employed in the calculation, we give the results, for s and t in the Euclidean region, in terms of 1- and 2-dimensional harmonic polylogarithms, of maximum weight 3. The corresponding results in the physical region can be recovered by analytical continuation. For completeness, we also provide the analytic expression of the 1-loop scalar box diagram including the first order in (D-4).

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