arXiv subjects

B. Jager

Publications and source records attributed to B. Jager.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2017

Physics Opportunities for Vector-Boson Scattering at a Future 100 TeV Hadron Collider

Vector-boson scattering (VBS) processes provide particularly promising means for probing the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking and to search for new physics in the weak sector. In the environment of a future proton-proton collider operating at a center-of-mass energy of 100 TeV, unprecedented opportunities arise for the investigation of this important class of reactions. We highlight the prominent features of VBS processes in this energy regime and discuss how the VBS signal can be isolated in the presence of a priori large QCD backgrounds. We find excellent opportunities for the analysis of VBS reactions in a kinematic range that is inaccessible to present colliders.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Parton-shower effects on Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion in association with three jets

We present an implementation of Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion in association with three jets at hadron colliders in the POWHEG-BOX, a framework for the matching of NLO-QCD calculations with parton-shower programs. Our work provides the means to precisely describe the properties of extra jet activity in vector-boson fusion reactions that are used for the suppression of QCD backgrounds by central jet veto techniques. For a representative setup at the CERN LHC we verify that uncertainties related to parton-shower effects are mild for distributions related to the third jet, in contrast to what has been observed in calculations based on vector-boson fusion induced Higgs production in association with two jets.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections to pp->WW->4 leptons in double-pole approximation at the LHC

We report on our calculation of next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections to W-boson pair production at the LHC, taking into account off-shell effects and spin correlations of the W bosons and their leptonic decays in the framework of a double-pole approximation. We study the various contributions to the electroweak corrections in detail and discuss their impact on selected observables within a realistic event-selection setup.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Next-to-leading order electroweak corrections to pp -> W+W- -> 4 leptons at the LHC in double-pole approximation

We present the calculation of next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections to W-boson pair production at the LHC, taking off-shell effects of the W bosons and their leptonic decays into account in the framework of the so-called double-pole approximation. In detail, the lowest-order cross section and the photonic bremsstrahlung are based on full matrix elements with four-fermion final states, but the virtual one-loop corrections are approximated by the leading contributions of a systematic expansion about the resonance poles of the two W bosons. This expansion classifies the virtual corrections into factorizable and non-factorizable corrections, the calculation of which is described in detail. Corrections induced by photons in the initial state, i.e. photon-photon and quark-photon collision channels, are included and based on complete matrix elements as well. Our numerical results, which are presented for realistic acceptance cuts applied to the W-boson decay products, qualitatively confirm recent results obtained for on-shell W bosons and reveal electroweak corrections of the size of tens of percent in the TeV range of transverse momenta and invariant masses. In general, photon-photon and quark-photon induced contributions amount to 5-10% of the full differential result. Compared to previous predictions based on stable W bosons electroweak corrections, however, can change by several percent because of realistic cuts on the W-boson decay products and corrections to the decays.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Release Note -- Vbfnlo-2.6.0

Vbfnlo is a flexible parton level Monte Carlo program for the simulation of vector boson fusion (VBF), double and triple vector boson (plus jet) production in hadronic collisions at next-to-leading order (NLO) in the strong coupling constant, as well as Higgs boson plus two jet production via gluon fusion at the one-loop level. This note briefly describes the main additional features and processes that have been added in the new release -- Vbfnlo Version 2.6.0. At NLO QCD diboson production (Wγ, WZ, ZZ, Zγand γγ), same-sign W pair production via vector boson fusion and the process Wγγj have been implemented (for which one-loop tensor integrals up to six-point functions are included). In addition, gluon induced diboson production can be studied separately at the leading order (one-loop) level. The diboson processes WW, WZ and Wγcan be run with anomalous gauge boson couplings, and anomalous couplings between a Higgs and a pair of gauge bosons is included in WW, ZZ, Zγand γγdiboson production. The code has also been extended to include anomalous gauge boson couplings for single vector boson production via VBF, and a spin-2 model has been implemented for diboson pair production via vector boson fusion.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to W+W+jj and W-W-jj production via weak-boson fusion

We present a next-to-leading order QCD calculation for e+ nu_e mu+ nu_mu jj and e- nubar_e mu- nubar_mu jj production via weak boson fusion at a hadron collider in the form of a fully-flexible parton-level Monte Carlo program, which allows for the calculation of experimentally accessible observables within realistic selection cuts. The QCD corrections to the integrated cross sections are found to be modest, while the shapes of some kinematical distributions change appreciably compared to leading order. The residual scale uncertainties of the next-to-leading order results are at the few-percent level.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Gluons and the quark sea at high energies: distributions, polarization, tomography

This report is based on a ten-week program on "Gluons and the quark sea at high-energies", which took place at the Institute for Nuclear Theory in Seattle in Fall 2010. The principal aim of the program was to develop and sharpen the science case for an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a facility that will be able to collide electrons and positrons with polarized protons and with light to heavy nuclei at high energies, offering unprecedented possibilities for in-depth studies of quantum chromodynamics. This report is organized around four major themes: i) the spin and flavor structure of the proton, ii) three-dimensional structure of nucleons and nuclei in momentum and configuration space, iii) QCD matter in nuclei, and iv) Electroweak physics and the search for physics beyond the Standard Model. Beginning with an executive summary, the report contains tables of key measurements, chapter overviews for each of the major scientific themes, and detailed individual contributions on various aspects of the scientific opportunities presented by an EIC.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2010

Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to photon production via weak-boson fusion

We present a calculation of next-to-leading order QCD corrections to gamma jj production via weak-boson fusion at a hadron collider in the form of a flexible parton-level Monte Carlo program which allows us to study cross sections and distributions within experimentally relevant selection cuts. The radiative corrections are found to be moderate with residual scale uncertainties being considerably improved beyond tree level. The sensitivity of the reaction to anomalous W+ W- gamma couplings is investigated.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

NLO QCD corrections to processes with multiple electroweak bosons

The VBFNLO program package is a collection of Monte Carlo programs for the calculation of NLO QCD corrections to vector boson fusion cross sections, double and triple vector boson production, or the production of two electroweak bosons in association with an additional jet. An overview is given of the processes and features implemented in VBFNLO. WWgamma and Wgamma jet production are discussed as examples.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to Higgs production at a future lepton-proton collider

Crucial information on the coupling of the Higgs boson to bottom quarks is expected from Higgs production in association with a forward tagging jet at a future high-energy lepton-proton collider. In order to control the theoretical uncertainties of the signal process, the impact of radiative corrections has to be quantified. We present the full next-to-leading order QCD corrections to e- p -> e- j H and e- p -> nu_e j H in the form of a flexible Monte-Carlo program allowing for the calculation of cross sections and kinematic distributions within experimentally feasible selection cuts. QCD corrections are found to be very small for cross sections, while the shape distortion of distributions can be as large as 20%. Residual scale uncertainties at next-to-leading order are at the permille level.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Weak boson scattering at the Large Hadron Collider

Weak boson scattering processes provide particularly promising means for gaining insight into the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking at hadron colliders. Being very sensitive to interactions in the weak gauge boson sector, they will help to distinguish the Standard Model from various new physics scenarios such as extra-dimensional Higgsless models. To unambiguously identify signatures of new physics, precise predictions for experimentally accessible observables within realistic selection cuts are crucial, including next-to-leading order QCD corrections. Here, we review how flexible Monte-Carlo methods can be employed for precision analyses of weak boson scattering reactions within the Standard Model and beyond.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Observing Strongly Interacting Vector Boson Systems at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

We explore the potential of the CERN Large Hadron Collider to access a strongly interacting electroweak symmetry breaking sector via weak boson scattering with WWjj, ZZjj and WZjj final states. As examples of models with scalar or vector resonances we concentrate on a scenario with a heavy Higgs boson and on a Warped Higgsless Kaluza-Klein model of narrow spin-one resonances. The signal and the most prominent background processes are evaluated using exact tree-level matrix elements including full off-shell and finite width effects for final states with two tagging jets and four leptons. Using double forward jet-tagging techniques, we derive dedicated cuts on the observable jets and charged leptons to suppress Standard Model backgrounds. We demonstrate that the LHC has substantial sensitivity to strong interactions in the electroweak symmetry breaking sector.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Strongly interacting gauge boson systems at the LHC

We explore the potential of the CERN-LHC to access strongly interacting gauge boson systems via weak-boson scattering processes with W+W-jj, ZZjj, W+Zjj and W-Zjj final states, focusing on the leptonic decay modes of the gauge bosons. Cross sections and kinematic distributions for two representative scenarios of strong interactions in the weak sector and all relevant background processes are computed with fully-flexible parton-level Monte-Carlo programs that allow for the implementation of dedicated selection cuts. We find that models with new resonances give rise to very distinctive distributions of the decay leptons. The perturbative treatment of the signal processes is under excellent control.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

VBFNLO: A parton level Monte Carlo for processes with electroweak bosons

VBFNLO is a fully flexible parton level Monte Carlo program for the simulation of vector boson fusion, double and triple vector boson production in hadronic collisions at next-to-leading order in the strong coupling constant. VBFNLO includes Higgs and vector boson decays with full spin correlations and all off-shell effects. In addition, VBFNLO implements CP-even and CP-odd Higgs boson via gluon fusion, associated with two jets, at the leading-order one-loop level with the full top- and bottom-quark mass dependence in a generic two-Higgs-doublet model. A variety of effects arising from beyond the Standard Model physics are implemented for selected processes. This includes anomalous couplings of Higgs and vector bosons and a Warped Higgsless extra dimension model. The program offers the possibility to generate Les Houches Accord event files for all processes available at leading order.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

QCD Corrections to Vector-Boson Fusion Processes in Warped Higgsless Models

We discuss the signatures of a representative Higgsless model with ideal fermion delocalization in vector-boson fusion processes, focusing on the gold- and silver-plated decay modes of the gauge bosons at the CERN-Large Hadron Collider. For this purpose, we have developed a fully-flexible parton-level Monte-Carlo program, which allows for the calculation of cross sections and kinematic distributions within experimentally feasible selection cuts at NLO-QCD accuracy. We find that Kaluza-Klein resonances give rise to very distinctive distributions of the decay leptons. Similar to the Standard Model case, within the Higgsless scenario the perturbative treatment of the vector-boson scattering processes is under excellent control.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Photoproduction of single inclusive jets at future ep colliders in next-to-leading order QCD

A next-to-leading order QCD calculation for single-inclusive jet photoproduction in unpolarized and longitudinally polarized lepton-hadron collisions is presented which consistently includes ``direct'' and ``resolved'' photon contributions. The computation is performed within the ``small-cone approximation'' in a largely analytical form. Phenomenological aspects of jet production at future ep colliders such as the CERN-LHeC and the polarized BNL-eRHIC are discussed, placing particular emphasis on the perturbative stability of the predictions and the possibility to constrain the parton content of the photon.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2008

Mixed QCD-electroweak contributions to Higgs-plus-dijet production at the LHC

We present a calculation of interference effects in Hjj production via gluon fusion and via vector boson fusion, respectively, beyond tree level. We reproduce results recently discussed in the literature, but go beyond this calculation by including a class of diagrams not considered previously. Special care is taken in developing a numerically stable and flexible parton level Monte-Carlo program which allows us to study cross sections and kinematic distributions within experimentally relevant selection cuts. Loop-induced interference contributions are found to exhibit kinematical distributions different in shape from vector boson fusion. Due to the small interference cross section and cancelation among different quark flavor contributions their impact on the signal process is found to be negligible in all regions of phase space, however.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2007

Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to W+Z and W-Z production via vector-boson fusion

We present the calculation of the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to electroweak p p -> e+ nu_e mu+ mu- jj and p p -> e- nubar_e mu+ mu- jj production at the CERN LHC in the form of a fully flexible parton-level Monte Carlo program. The QCD corrections to the total cross sections are modest, changing the leading-order results by less than 10%. At the Born level, the shape of kinematic distributions can depend significantly on the choice of factorization scale. This theoretical uncertainty is strongly reduced by the inclusion of the next-to-leading order QCD corrections.

hep-ph↗