arXiv subjects

A. S. Papanastasiou

Publications and source records attributed to A. S. Papanastasiou.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2014

Renormalization-group improved fully differential cross sections for top pair production

We extend approximate next-to-next-to-leading order results for top-pair production to include the semi-leptonic decays of top quarks in the narrow-width approximation. The new hard-scattering kernels are implemented in a fully differential parton-level Monte Carlo that allows for the study of any IR-safe observable constructed from the momenta of the decay products of the top. Our best predictions are given by approximate NNLO corrections in the production matched to a fixed order calculation with NLO corrections in both the production and decay subprocesses. Being fully differential enables us to make comparisons between approximate results derived via different (PIM and 1PI) kinematics for arbitrary distributions. These comparisons reveal that the renormalization-group framework, from which the approximate results are derived, is rather robust in the sense that applying a realistic error estimate allows us to obtain a reliable prediction with a reduced theoretical error for generic observables and analysis cuts.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

High precision fundamental constants at the TeV scale

This report summarizes the proceedings of the 2014 Mainz Institute for Theoretical Physics (MITP) scientific program on "High precision fundamental constants at the TeV scale". The two outstanding parameters in the Standard Model dealt with during the MITP scientific program are the strong coupling constant $α_s$ and the top-quark mass $m_t$. Lacking knowledge on the value of those fundamental constants is often the limiting factor in the accuracy of theoretical predictions. The current status on $α_s$ and $m_t$ has been reviewed and directions for future research have been identified.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Single-top $t$-channel production with off-shell and non-resonant effects

This letter details and discusses the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to $t$-channel electro-weak $W^+ b j$ production, where finite top-width effects are consistently taken into account. The computation is done within the aMC@NLO framework and includes both resonant and non-resonant contributions as well as interferences between the two. Results are presented for the LHC and compared to those of the narrow-width approximation and effective theory approaches.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Finite-width effects in unstable-particle production at hadron colliders

We present a general formalism for the calculation of finite-width contributions to the differential production cross sections of unstable particles at hadron colliders. In this formalism, which employs an effective-theory description of unstable-particle production and decay, the matrix element computation is organized as a gauge-invariant expansion in powers of $Γ_X/m_X$, with $Γ_X$ and $m_X$ the width and mass of the unstable particle. This framework allows for a systematic inclusion of off-shell and non-factorizable effects whilst at the same time keeping the computational effort minimal compared to a full calculation in the complex-mass scheme. As a proof-of-concept example, we give results for an NLO calculation of top-antitop production in the $q \bar{q}$ partonic channel. As already found in a similar calculation of single-top production, the finite-width effects are small for the total cross section, as expected from the na\" ive counting $\sim Γ_t/m_t \sim 1%$. However, they can be sizeable, in excess of 10%, close to edges of certain kinematical distributions. The dependence of the results on the mass renormalization scheme, and its implication for a precise extraction of the top-quark mass, is also discussed.

hep-ph↗