arXiv subjects

Frank J. Tackmann

Publications and source records attributed to Frank J. Tackmann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Modelling $b\bar b H$ production for the LHC at 13.6 TeV

We present new state-of-the-art predictions for Standard Model Higgs boson production in association with a bottom-quark pair ($b\bar bH$). Updated cross sections are computed in accordance with the recommendations of the LHC Higgs Working Group, including the use of the PDF4LHC21 set of parton distribution functions, with a center-of-mass energy of 13.6 TeV. For the total inclusive cross section, we provide matched predictions of the massless five-flavour scheme and the massive four-flavour scheme at the fixed-order level. We further present recently obtained simulations matched to parton showers in both flavour schemes within the Standard Model, and also discuss them in the context of potential Beyond-the-Standard-Model scenarios. In the massless scheme, we compare different next-to-next-to-leading order predictions matched to parton showers obtained through the MiNNLOPS and GENEVA generators. In addition, the role of four-flavour scheme predictions is studied as a background to $HH$ searches, considering both the top-quark and bottom-quark Yukawa contributions to $b\bar bH$ production. Finally, we analyse the sensitivity of the Higgs transverse momentum spectrum to light-quark Yukawa couplings in the diphoton decay channel based on MiNNLOPS simulations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Jet veto resummation for STXS $H+$1-jet bins at aNNLL$'$+NNLO

Measurements of Higgs boson processes by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC use Simplified Template Cross Sections (STXS) as a common framework for the combination of measurements in different decay channels and their further interpretation, e.g. to measure Higgs couplings. The different Higgs production processes are measured in predefined kinematic regions -- the STXS bins -- requiring precise theory predictions for each individual bin. In gluon-fusion Higgs production a main division is into 0-jet, 1-jet, and $\geq 2$-jet bins, which are further subdivided in bins of the Higgs transverse momentum $p_T^H$. Requiring a fixed number of jets induces logarithms $\ln p_T^{\mathrm{cut}}/Q$ in the cross section where $p_T^{\mathrm{cut}}$ is the jet-$p_T$ threshold and $Q\sim p_T^H\sim m_H$ the hard-interaction scale. These jet-veto logarithms can be resummed to all orders in perturbation theory to achieve the highest possible perturbative precision. We provide state-of-the art predictions for the $p_T^H$ spectrum in exclusive $H+$1-jet production and the corresponding $H+$1-jet STXS bins in the kinematic regime $p_T^{\mathrm{cut}} \ll p_T^H\sim m_H$. We carry out the resummation at NNLL$'$ accuracy, using theory nuisance parameters to account for the few unknown ingredients at this order, and match to full NNLO. We revisit the jet-veto factorization for this process and find that it requires refactorizing the total soft function into a global and soft-collinear contribution in order to fully account for logarithms of the signal jet radius. The leading nonglobal logarithms are also included, though they are numerically small for the region of phenomenological interest.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Theory Uncertainties in the Extraction of $α_s$ from Drell-Yan at Small Transverse Momentum

We perform a detailed pseudodata study to estimate the expected theory uncertainty in the extraction of the strong coupling constant, $α_s(m_Z)$, from a fit to the measured Drell-Yan transverse momentum ($q_T$) spectrum at small $q_T \ll m_Z$. We consider two approaches to estimate the dominant perturbative uncertainties. We first discuss that the traditional approach based on varying unphysical scales is insufficient here because it cannot correctly account for bin-by-bin theory correlations in the $q_T$ spectrum, which are critically important in this case. We then use this case as a nontrivial application of a new approach based on theory nuisance parameters (TNPs), which encodes the correct theory correlations by construction. Moreover, the TNPs can be profiled in the fit thereby allowing the data to constrain the theory uncertainties in a consistent manner. We furthermore discuss the interplay with nonperturbative effects in the peak region $q_T \lesssim 10$ GeV, from where most of the $α_s$ sensitivity originates. The associated nonperturbative uncertainties on $α_s$ when fitting only the $q_T$ spectrum are large. They can in principle be reduced by including additional constraints on the nonperturbative Collins-Soper kernel from lattice QCD calculations. We find that these improvements in the treatment of perturbative and nonperturbative uncertainties and their correlations will enable a competitive $α_s$ extraction from Drell-Yan data at small $q_T$. We also discuss the implications of our findings, calling into question a recent $α_s$ extraction from the $Z$ $q_T$ spectrum by the ATLAS experiment.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Simplified Template Cross Sections -- Stage 1.1 and 1.2

Simplified Template Cross Sections (STXS) have been adopted by the LHC experiments as a common framework for Higgs measurements. Their purpose is to reduce the theoretical uncertainties that are directly folded into the measurements as much as possible, while at the same time allowing for the combination of the measurements between different decay channels as well as between experiments. We report the complete, revised definition of the STXS kinematic bins (stage 1.1 and stage 1.2), which have been used for the measurements by the ATLAS and CMS experiments using the full LHC Run 2 datasets. The main focus is on the four dominant Higgs production processes, namely gluon-fusion, vector-boson fusion, production in association with a vector boson and in association with a $t\bar t$ pair. We also comment briefly on the treatment of other production modes.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Beyond Scale Variations: Perturbative Theory Uncertainties from Nuisance Parameters

We develop a new approach to estimate the uncertainty due to missing higher orders in perturbative predictions (the perturbative "theory uncertainty"), which overcomes many inherent limitations of the currently prevalent methods based on varying unphysical renormalization scales. In our approach, the true underlying sources of the theory uncertainty, namely the missing higher-order terms, are identified and parameterized in terms of mutually independent theory nuisance parameters (TNPs). The TNPs are true parameters of the calculation, i.e., they have a well-defined true value that is not or only imprecisely known. This approach affords the theory uncertainty all benefits of a truly parametric uncertainty: It provides correct correlations and allows for consistent error propagation and combination. Furthermore, the TNPs can be profiled in fits, allowing the data to reduce the theory uncertainties. On the theory side, it allows maximally exploiting all available higher-order information to reduce the theory uncertainty, such as partial higher-order results or any nontrivial knowledge of the higher-order or all-order structure. We first discuss the method in general as it can be applied across the board of perturbative calculations. As a concrete application, we then discuss the resummed transverse momentum ($q_T$) spectrum in Drell-Yan production, and how TNP-based uncertainties can correctly capture the correlations across the $q_T$ spectrum and between $Z$ and $W$ production. This application is the basis of the theory model enabling the recent precise measurement of the $W$-boson mass by the CMS experiment. In a forthcoming paper, we use it to study the theory uncertainties in extracting the strong coupling constant $α_s$ from the $Z$ $q_T$ spectrum.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Drell-Yan Transverse-Momentum Spectra at N$^3$LL$'$ and Approximate N$^4$LL with SCETlib

We provide state-of-the-art precision QCD predictions for the fiducial $W$ and $Z$ boson transverse momentum spectra at the LHC at N$^3$LL$'$ and approximate N$^4$LL in resummed perturbation theory, matched to available $\mathcal{O}(α_s^3)$ fixed-order results. Our predictions consistently combine all information from across the spectrum in a unified way, ranging from the nonperturbative region of small transverse momenta to the fixed-order tail, with an emphasis on estimating the magnitude of residual perturbative uncertainties, and in particular of those related to the matching. Parametric uncertainties related to the strong coupling, the collinear PDFs, and the nonperturbative transverse momentum-dependent (TMD) dynamics are studied in detail. To assess the latter, we explicitly demonstrate how the full complexity of flavor and Bjorken $x$-dependent TMD dynamics can be captured by a single, effective nonperturbative function for the resonant production of any given vector boson at a given collider. We point out that the cumulative $p_T^Z$ cross section at the level of precision enabled by our predictions provides strong constraining power for PDF determinations at full N$^3$LO.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

The $q_T$ spectrum for Higgs production via heavy quark annihilation at N$^3$LL$'$+aN$^3$LO

We study the transverse momentum ($q_T$) spectrum of the Higgs boson produced via the annihilation of heavy quarks ($s,c,b$) in proton-proton collisions. Using soft-collinear effective theory (SCET) and working in the five-flavour scheme, we provide predictions at three-loop order in resummed perturbation theory (N$^3$LL$'$). We match the resummed calculation to full fixed-order results at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO), and introduce a decorrelation method to enable a consistent matching to an approximate N$^3$LO (aN$^3$LO) result. Since the $b$-quark initiated process exhibits large nonsingular corrections, it requires special care in the matching procedure and estimation of associated theoretical uncertainties, which we discuss in detail. Our results constitute the most accurate predictions to date for these processes in the small $q_T$ region and could be used to improve the determination of Higgs Yukawa couplings from the shape of the measured Higgs $q_T$ spectrum.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Evolution and interpolation of double parton distributions using Chebyshev grids

Double parton distributions are the nonperturbative ingredients needed for computing double parton scattering processes in hadron-hadron collisions. They describe a variety of correlations between two partons in a hadron and depend on a large number of variables, including two independent renormalization scales. This makes it challenging to compute their scale evolution with satisfactory numerical accuracy while keeping computational costs at a manageable level. We show that this problem can be solved using interpolation on Chebyshev grids, extending the methods we previously developed for ordinary single-parton distributions. Using an implementation of these methods in the C++ library ChiliPDF, we study for the first time the evolution of double parton distributions beyond leading order in perturbation theory.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

The photon energy spectrum in $B\to X_sγ$ at N$^3$LL$'$

We present predictions for the photon energy spectrum in inclusive $B\to X_sγ$ decays mediated by the electromagnetic penguin operator $O_7$ to N$^3$LL$'$. We use soft-collinear effective theory (SCET) to resum the singular contributions in the peak region at large photon energy. In the tail region the resummed predictions are matched to fixed order at N$^3$LO, where we include the known fixed-order contributions for $O_7$ up to $\mathcal{O}(α_s^2)$. We develop a method to suitably parametrize the still unknown $\mathcal{O}(α_s^3)$ nonsingular corrections in terms of theory nuisance parameters, whose variations provide an estimate of the associated theory uncertainty. In this context, we also study different ways to treat higher-order cross terms in the matching. Another important aspect of our analysis is the short-distance scheme used for the $b$-quark mass $m_b$. We find that in the present context, the 1$S$ mass scheme, which was previously used up to 2-loop order, fails to work at 3-loop order, because the mass scheme enters at a soft scale much smaller than $m_b$ here, for which the 1$S$ scheme was not devised. Using instead the MSR mass scheme with $R\sim 1\,\mathrm{GeV}$, we obtain stable results with good perturbative convergence up to N$^3$LL$'$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Theoretical predictions for inclusive $B\to X_u τ\barν$ decay

With the expected large increase in data sets, previously not measured decays will be studied at Belle II. We derive standard model predictions for the $B\to X_u τ\barν$ decay rate and distributions. The region in the lepton energy spectrum where higher-dimension operators in the local OPE need to be resummed into the $b$-quark light-cone distribution function is a significantly greater fraction of the phase space than for massless leptons. The finite $τ$ mass has the novel effect of shifting and squeezing how the distribution function enters the lepton energy spectrum. We also derive new predictions for the $τ$ polarization.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

ChiliPDF: Chebyshev Interpolation for Parton Distributions

Parton distribution functions (PDFs) are an essential ingredient for theoretical predictions at colliders. Since their exact form is unknown, their handling and delivery for practical applications relies on approximate numerical methods. We discuss the implementation of PDFs based on a global interpolation in terms of Chebyshev polynomials. We demonstrate that this allows for significantly higher numerical accuracy at lower computational cost compared with local interpolation methods such as splines. Whilst the numerical inaccuracy of currently used local methods can become a nontrivial limitation in high-precision applications, in our approach it is negligible for practical purposes. This holds in particular for differentiation and for Mellin convolution with kernels that have end point singularities. We illustrate our approach for these and other important numerical operations, including DGLAP evolution, and find that they are performed accurately and fast. Our results are implemented in the C++ library ChiliPDF.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Higgs $p_T$ Spectrum and Total Cross Section with Fiducial Cuts at Third Resummed and Fixed Order in QCD

We present predictions for the gluon-fusion Higgs $p_T$ spectrum at third resummed and fixed order (N$^3$LL$'+$N$^3$LO) including fiducial cuts as required by experimental measurements at the Large Hadron Collider. Integrating the spectrum, we predict for the first time the total fiducial cross section to third order (N$^3$LO) and improved by resummation. The N$^3$LO correction is enhanced by cut-induced logarithmic effects and is not reproduced by the inclusive N$^3$LO correction times a lower-order acceptance. These are the highest-order predictions of their kind achieved so far at a hadron collider.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Drell-Yan $q_T$ Resummation of Fiducial Power Corrections at N$^3$LL

We consider Drell-Yan production $pp\to V^* X \to L X$ at small $q_T \ll Q$. Experimental measurements require fiducial cuts on the leptonic state $L$, which introduce enhanced, linear power corrections in $q_T/Q$. We show that they can be unambiguously predicted from factorization, and resummed to the same order as the leading-power contribution. We thus obtain predictions for the fiducial $q_T$ spectrum to N3LL and next-to-leading-power in $q_T/Q$. Matching to full NNLO ($α_s^2$), we find that the linear power corrections are indeed the dominant ones, and the remaining fixed-order corrections become almost negligible below $q_T \lesssim 40$ GeV. We also discuss the implications for more complicated observables, and provide predictions for the fiducial $ϕ^*$ spectrum at N3LL+NNLO. We find excellent agreement with ATLAS and CMS measurements of $q_T$ and $ϕ^*$. We also consider the $p_T^\ell$ spectrum. We show that it develops leptonic power corrections in $q_T/(Q - 2p_T^\ell)$, which diverge near the Jacobian peak $p_T^\ell \sim Q/2$ and must be kept to all powers to obtain a meaningful result there. Doing so, we obtain for the first time an analytically resummed result for the $p_T^\ell$ spectrum around the Jacobian peak at N3LL+NNLO. Our method is based on performing a complete tensor decomposition for hadronic and leptonic tensors. In practice this is equivalent to often-used recoil prescriptions, for which our results now provide rigorous, formal justification. Our tensor decomposition yields nine Lorentz-scalar hadronic structure functions, which directly map onto the commonly used angular coefficients, but also holds for arbitrary leptonic final states. In particular, for suitably defined Born-projected leptons it still yields a LO-like angular decomposition even when including QED final-state radiation. We also discuss the application to $q_T$ subtractions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

A Toolbox for $q_T$ and $0$-Jettiness Subtractions at N$^3$LO

We derive the leading-power singular terms at three loops for both $q_T$ and 0-jettiness, $\cal{T}_0$, for generic color-singlet processes. Our results provide the complete set of differential subtraction terms for $q_T$ and $\cal{T}_0$ subtractions at N$^3$LO, which are an important ingredient for matching N$^3$LO calculations with parton showers. We obtain the full three-loop structure of the relevant beam and soft functions, which are necessary ingredients for the resummation of $q_T$ and $\cal{T}_0$ at N$^3$LL$'$ and N$^4$LL order, and which constitute important building blocks in other contexts as well. The nonlogarithmic boundary coefficients of the beam functions, which contribute to the integrated subtraction terms, are not yet fully known at three loops. By exploiting consistency relations between different factorization limits, we derive results for the $q_T$ and $\cal{T}_0$ beam function coefficients at N$^3$LO in the $z\to 1$ threshold limit, and we also estimate the size of the unknown terms beyond threshold.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Joint Two-Dimensional Resummation in $q_T$ and $0$-Jettiness at NNLL

We consider Drell-Yan production $pp \to Z/γ^* \to \ell^+\ell^-$ with the simultaneous measurement of the $Z$-boson transverse momentum $q_T$ and $0$-jettiness $\mathcal{T}_0$. Since both observables resolve the initial-state QCD radiation, the double-differential cross section in $q_T$ and $\mathcal{T}_0$ contains Sudakov double logarithms of both $q_T/Q$ and $\mathcal{T}_0/Q$, where $Q \sim m_Z$ is the dilepton invariant mass. We simultaneously resum the logarithms in $q_T$ and $\mathcal{T}_0$ to next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic order (NNLL) matched to next-to-leading fixed order (NLO). Our results provide the first genuinely two-dimensional analytic Sudakov resummation for initial-state radiation. Integrating the resummed double-differential spectrum with an appropriate scale choice over either $\mathcal{T}_0$ or $q_T$ recovers the corresponding single-differential resummation for the remaining variable. We discuss in detail the required effective field theory setups and their combination using two-dimensional resummation profile scales. We also introduce a new method to perform the $q_T$ resummation where the underlying resummation is carried out in impact-parameter space, but is consistently turned off depending on the momentum-space target value for $q_T$. Our methods apply at any order and for any color-singlet production process, such that our results can be systematically extended when the relevant perturbative ingredients become available.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Precision Global Determination of the $B\to X_sγ$ Decay Rate

We perform the first global fit to inclusive $B\to X_sγ$ measurements using a model-independent treatment of the nonperturbative $b$-quark distribution function, with next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic resummation and $\mathcal{O}(α_s^2)$ fixed-order contributions. The normalization of the $B\to X_sγ$ decay rate, given by $\lvert C_7^{\rm incl} V_{tb} V_{ts}^*\rvert^2$, is sensitive to physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). We determine $\lvert C_7^{\rm incl} V_{tb} V_{ts}^* \rvert = (14.77 \pm 0.51_{\rm fit} \pm 0.59_{\rm theory} \pm 0.08_{\rm param})\times 10^{-3}$, in good agreement with the SM prediction, and the $b$-quark mass $m_b^{1S} = (4.750 \pm 0.027_{\rm fit} \pm 0.033_{\rm theory} \pm 0.003_{\rm param})\,\mathrm{GeV}$. Our results suggest that the uncertainties in the extracted $B\to X_sγ$ rate have been underestimated by up to a factor of two, leaving more room for beyond-SM contributions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Higgs Production at NNLL$'$+NNLO using Rapidity Dependent Jet Vetoes

The rapidity-dependent jet veto observables $\mathcal{T}_{Bj}$ and $\mathcal{T}_{Cj}$ provide a tight jet veto at central rapidity, gradually transitioning to a loose veto at forward rapidities. They divide the phase space into exclusive jet bins in a different way to the traditional jet veto observable $p_{Tj}$, and are advantageous to use under harsh pile-up conditions. We obtain predictions for the $0$-jet gluon-fusion (ggF) Higgs cross section using both of these veto observables at NNLL$'+$NNLO, and compare these predictions to the prior state-of-the-art of NLL$'+$NLO. A significant reduction in perturbative uncertainty is observed going from NLL$'+$NLO to NNLL$'+$NNLO, with the NNLL$'+$NNLO predictions lying inside the uncertainty band of the NLL$'+$NLO predictions. We also investigate the relative sensitivities of ggF Higgs cross sections with $\mathcal{T}_{Bj}$, $\mathcal{T}_{Cj}$ and $p_{Tj}$ jet vetoes to underlying event and hadronisation effects using an NLO+parton shower calculation. We find that the cross sections with $\mathcal{T}_{Bj}$ and $\mathcal{T}_{Cj}$ vetoes have a reduced sensitivity to underlying event and hadronisation effects compared to that with a $p_{Tj}$ veto.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Higher-Order Sudakov Resummation in Coupled Gauge Theories

We consider the higher-order resummation of Sudakov double logarithms in the presence of multiple coupled gauge interactions. The associated evolution equations depend on the coupled $β$ functions of two (or more) coupling constants $α_a$ and $α_b$, as well as anomalous dimensions that have joint perturbative series in $α_a$ and $α_b$. We discuss possible strategies for solving the system of evolution equations that arises. As an example, we obtain the complete three-loop (NNLL) QCD$\otimes$QED Sudakov evolution factor. Our results also readily apply to the joint higher-order resummation of electroweak and QCD Sudakov logarithms. As part of our analysis we also revisit the case of a single gauge interaction (pure QCD), and study the numerical differences and reliability of various methods for evaluating the Sudakov evolution factor at higher orders. We find that the approximations involved in deriving commonly used analytic expressions for the evolution kernel can induce noticeable numerical differences of several percent or more at low scales, exceeding the perturbative precision at N$^3$LL and in some cases even NNLL. Therefore, one should be cautious when using approximate analytic evolution kernels for high-precision analyses.

hep-ph↗