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Frank Petriello

Publications and source records attributed to Frank Petriello.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

A subtraction scheme for NNLO computations

We use the known soft and collinear limits of tree- and one-loop scattering amplitudes -- computed over a decade ago -- to explicitly construct a subtraction scheme for next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) computations. Our approach combines partitioning of the final-state phase space together with the technique of sector decomposition, following recent suggestions in Ref. [1]. We apply this scheme to a toy example: the NNLO QED corrections to the decay of the Z boson to a pair of massless leptons. We argue that the main features of this subtraction scheme remain valid for computations of processes of arbitrary complexity with NNLO accuracy.

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An Exclusive Soft Function for Drell-Yan at Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order

We present next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) results for an exclusive soft function that appears in a recently developed factorization theorem for transverse momentum distributions. The factorization theorem, derived using the Soft Collinear Effective Theory, involves both a soft function and unintegrated nucleon distribution functions fully differential in momentum coordinates. The soft function is given by the vacuum matrix element of soft Wilson lines and is also fully differential in all components. We give results and relevant technical details for the NNLO calculation of the soft function, including finite parts, and derive the corresponding anomalous dimension. These results are necessary for achieving low transverse momentum resummation at next-to-next-to-leading-logarithmic accuracy in this effective field theory approach with unintegrated distribution functions.

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Factorization and Resummation of Higgs Boson Differential Distributions in Soft-Collinear Effective Theory

We derive a factorization theorem for the Higgs boson transverse momentum (p_T) and rapidity (Y) distributions at hadron colliders, using the Soft Collinear Effective Theory (SCET), for m_h>> p_T>> Λ_{QCD} where m_h denotes the Higgs mass. In addition to the factorization of the various scales involved, the perturbative physics at the p_T scale is further factorized into two collinear impact-parameter Beam Functions (iBFs) and an inverse Soft Function (iSF). These newly defined functions are of a universal nature for the study of differential distributions at hadron colliders. The additional factorization of the p_T-scale physics simplifies the implementation of higher order radiative corrections in α_s(p_T). We derive formulas for factorization in both momentum and impact parameter space and discuss the relationship between them. Large logarithms of the relevant scales in the problem are summed using the renormalization group equations of the effective theories. Power corrections to the factorization theorem in p_T/m_h and Λ_{QCD}/p_T can be systematically derived. We perform multiple consistency checks on our factorization theorem including a comparison with known fixed order QCD results. We compare the SCET factorization theorem with the Collins-Soper-Sterman approach to low-p_T resummation.

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Transverse Momentum Distributions from Effective Field Theory

We review a new approach to calculating transverse momentum distributions of the Higgs and electroweak gauge bosons using the Soft-Collinear Effective Theory. We derive a factorization theorem for transverse momentum distributions in terms of newly-defined impact-parameter beam functions (iBFs) and an inverse soft function (iSF). The iBFs correspond to completely unintegrated parton distribution functions and provide interesting probes of momentum distributions within nucleons. The numerical matching between the low and high transverse momentum regions is improved in this approach with respect to standard techniques. We present results for next-to-leading logarithmic resummation for the Higgs and Z-boson distributions and give a comparison with Tevatron data.

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The four-dimensional helicity scheme and dimensional reconstruction

The four-dimensional helicity regularization scheme is often used in one-loop QCD computations. It was recently argued in Ref. [1] that this scheme is inconsistent beyond the one-loop order in perturbation theory. In this paper, we clarify the reason for this inconsistency by studying the perturbative expansion of the vector current correlator in one-flavor QED through three-loop order. We develop a simple, practical way to fix the four-dimensional helicity scheme using the idea of dimensional reconstruction, and demonstrate its application in several illustrative examples.

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Transverse Momentum Distributions from Effective Field Theory with Numerical Results

We derive a factorization theorem for the differential distributions of electroweak gauge bosons in Drell-Yan processes, valid at low transverse momentum, using the Soft-Collinear Effective Theory (SCET). We present the next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) transverse momentum distribution for the Z-boson and find good agreement with Tevatron data collected by the CDF and D0 collaborations. We also give predictions for the Higgs boson differential distributions at NLL based on a factorization theorem derived in earlier work. We derive formulae for all quantities needed to study low transverse momentum production of color-neutral particles within the effective theory. This effective field theory approach is free of Landau poles and can be formulated entirely in momentum space. Consequently, our results are free of the Landau-pole prescriptions necessary in the standard approach.

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FEWZ 2.0: A code for hadronic Z production at next-to-next-to-leading order

We introduce an improved version of the simulation code FEWZ (Fully Exclusive W and Z Production) for hadron collider production of lepton pairs through the Drell-Yan process at next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) in the strong coupling constant. The program is fully differential in the phase space of leptons and additional hadronic radiation. The new version offers users significantly more options for customization. FEWZ now bins multiple, user-selectable histograms during a single run, and produces parton distribution function (PDF) errors automatically. It also features a signifcantly improved integration routine, and can take advantage of multiple processor cores locally or on the Condor distributed computing system. We illustrate the new features of FEWZ by presenting numerous phenomenological results for LHC physics. We compare NNLO QCD with initial ATLAS and CMS results, and discuss in detail the effects of detector acceptance on the measurement of angular quantities associated with Z-boson production. We address the issue of technical precision in the presence of severe phase-space cuts.

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Transverse Momentum Distributions in the Non-Perturbative Region

We study the low transverse momentum (p_T) distribution of the Z-boson at hadron colliders for p_T ~ Lambda_{QCD} using a factorization and resummation formula derived in the Soft Collinear Effective Theory (SCET). In the region p_T ~ Lambda_{QCD}, new non-perturbative effects arise that cannot be entirely captured by the standard parton distribution functions, and require an additional new non-perturbative transverse momentum function (TMF). The TMF is field-theoretically defined in SCET, fully gauge invariant, and captures the non-perturbative dynamics that affects the p_T-distribution in the region p_T ~ Lambda_{QCD}. The TMF also reduces to the expected perturbative result in the region p_T >> Lambda_{QCD}. We develop phenomenological models for these TMFs in the non-perturbative region and present example fits to the available data.

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Precise predictions for Higgs production in models with color-octet scalars

We describe an effective-theory computation of the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD corrections to the gluon-fusion production of a Higgs boson in models with massive color-octet scalars in the (8,1)_0 representation. Numerical results are presented for both the Tevatron and the LHC. The estimated theoretical uncertainty is greatly reduced by the inclusion of the NNLO corrections. Color-octet scalars can increase the Standard Model rate by more than a factor of two in allowed regions of parameter space.

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Color-octet scalar effects on Higgs boson production in gluon fusion

We compute the next-to-next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the gluon-fusion production of a Higgs boson in models with massive color-octet scalars in the ${\bf (8,1)_0}$ representation using an effective-theory approach. We derive a compact analytic expression for the relevant Wilson coefficient, and explain an interesting technical aspect of the calculation that requires inclusion of the quartic-scalar interactions at next-to-next-to-leading order. We perform a renormalization-group analysis of the scalar couplings to derive the allowed regions of parameter space, and present phenomenological results for both the Tevatron and the LHC. The modifications of the Higgs production cross section are large at both colliders, and can increase the Standard Model rate by more than a factor of two in allowed regions of parameter space. We estimate that stringent constraints on the color-octet scalar parameters can be obtained using the Tevatron exclusion limit on Higgs production.

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Reconstructing a Z' Lagrangian using the LHC and low-energy data

We study the potential of the LHC and future low-energy experiments to precisely measure the underlying model parameters of a new Z' boson. We emphasize the complimentary information obtained from both on- and off-peak LHC dilepton data, from the future Q-weak measurement of the weak charge of the proton, and from a proposed measurement of parity violation in low-energy Moller scattering. We demonstrate the importance of off-peak LHC data and Q-weak for removing sign degeneracies between Z' couplings that occur if only on-peak LHC data is studied. A future precision measurement of low-energy Moller scattering can resolve a scaling degeneracy between quark and lepton couplings that remains after analyzing LHC dilepton data, permitting an extraction of the individual Z' couplings rather than combinations of them. We study how precisely Z' properties can be extracted for LHC integrated luminosities ranging from a few inverse femtobarns to super-LHC values of an inverse attobarn. For the several example cases studied with M_Z'=1.5 TeV, we find that coupling combinations can be determined with relative uncertainties reaching 30% with 30 fb^-1 of integrated luminosity, while 50% is possible with 10 fb^-1. With SLHC luminosities of 1 ab^-1, we find that products of quark and lepton couplings can be probed to 10%.

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Electroweak and finite quark-mass effects on the Higgs boson transverse momentum distribution

We perform a detailed study of the various one-loop contributions leading to production of the Standard Model Higgs boson in association with a hard jet. This production mode contributes to the current Tevatron exclusion limit of the Standard Model Higgs with 160 GeV < M_H < 170 GeV, and will also be important for discovery and interpretation of new scalar bosons at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We include top- and bottom-quark initiated contributions, maintaining the exact dependence on the quark masses, and also study previously neglected W- and Z-boson mediated effects which shift the qg and q\bar{q} production modes. We consider the deviations from commonly used approximations for the Higgs boson transverse momentum spectrum caused by the finite top-quark mass, bottom quark contributions, and electroweak gauge boson terms. All three effects act to decrease the Higgs boson transverse momentum distribution for observable momenta, with shifts reaching -8% at the Tevatron and -30% at the LHC. The shifts have a significant dependence on the Higgs p_T, and are especially important if large momenta are selected by experimental cuts.

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Mixed QCD-electroweak corrections to Higgs boson production in gluon fusion

We compute the 3-loop O(αα_s) correction to the Higgs boson production cross section arising from light quarks using an effective theory approach. Our calculation probes the factorization of QCD and electroweak perturbative corrections to this process. We combine our results with the best current estimates for contributions from top and bottom quarks to derive an updated theoretical prediction for the Higgs boson production cross section in gluon fusion. With the use of the MSTW 2008 parton distribution functions that include the newest experimental data, our study results in cross sections approximately 4-6% lower for intermediate Higgs boson masses than those used in recent Tevatron analyses that imposed a 95% confidence level exclusion limit of a Standard Model Higgs boson with M_H=170 GeV.

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Grand Unification and Light Color-Octet Scalars at the LHC

We study the properties and production mechanisms of color-octet scalars at the LHC. We focus on the single production of both charged and neutral members of an (8,2)_1/2 doublet through bottom quark initial states. These channels provide a window to the underlying Yukawa structure of the scalar sector. Color-octet scalars naturally appear in grand unified theories based on the SU(5) gauge symmetry. In the context of adjoint SU(5) these fields are expected to be light to satisfy constraints coming from unification and proton decay, and may have TeV-scale masses. One combination of their couplings is defined by the relation between the down-quark and charged-lepton Yukawa couplings. Observation of these states at the LHC gives an upper bound on the proton lifetime if they truly arise from this grand unified theory. We demonstrate that TeV-mass scalars can be observed over background at the LHC using boosted top quark final states, and study how well the scalar Yukawa parameters can be measured.

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Discovering hidden sectors with mono-photon Z' searches

In many theories of physics beyond the Standard Model, from extra dimensions to Hidden Valleys and models of dark matter, Z' bosons mediate between Standard Model particles and hidden sector states. We study the feasibility of observing such hidden states through an invisibly decaying Z' at the LHC. We focus on the process pp -> γZ' -> γX X*, where X is any neutral, (quasi-) stable particle, whether a Standard Model (SM) neutrino or a new state. This complements a previous study using pp -> Z Z' -> l+ l- X X*. Only the Z' mass and two effective charges are needed to describe this process. If the Z' decays invisibly only to Standard Model neutrinos, then these charges are predicted by observation of the Z' through the Drell-Yan process, allowing discrimination between Z' decays to SM neutrinos and invisible decays to new states. We carefully discuss all backgrounds and systematic errors that affect this search. We find that hidden sector decays of a 1 TeV Z' can be observed at 5 sigma significance with 50 fb^{-1} at the LHC. Observation of a 1.5 TeV state requires super-LHC statistics of 1 ab^{-1}. Control of the systematic errors, in particular the parton distribution function uncertainty of the dominant Z γbackground, is crucial to maximize the LHC search

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The New DAMA Dark-Matter Window and Energetic-Neutrino Searches

Recently, the DAMA/LIBRA collaboration has repeated and reinforced their claim to have detected an annual modulation in their signal rate, and have interpreted this observation as evidence for dark-matter particles at the 8.2 sigma confidence level. Furthermore, it has also been noted that the effects of channeling may enable a WIMP that scatters elastically via spin-independent interactions from nuclei to produce the signal observed by DAMA/LIBRA without exceeding the limits placed by CDMS, XENON, CRESST, CoGeNT and other direct-detection experiments. To accommodate this signal, however, the mass of the responsible dark-matter particle must be relatively light, m_{DM} \lsim 10 GeV. Such dark-matter particles will become captured by and annihilate in the Sun at very high rates, leading to a potentially large flux of GeV-scale neutrinos. We calculate the neutrino spectrum resulting from WIMP annihilations in the Sun and show that existing limits from Super-Kamiokande can be used to close a significant portion of the DAMA region, especially if the dark-matter particles produce tau leptons or neutrinos in a sizable fraction of their annihilations. We also determine the spin-dependent WIMP-nuclei elastic-scattering parameter space consistent with DAMA. The constraints from Super-Kamiokande on the spin-dependent scenario are even more severe--they exclude any self-annihilating WIMP in the DAMA region that annihilates 1% of the time or more to any combination of neutrinos, tau leptons, or charm or bottom quarks.

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DAMA and WIMP dark matter

We study whether spin-independent scattering of weakly-interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with nuclei can account for the annual modulation signal reported by DAMA. We consider both elastic and inelastic scattering processes. We find that there is a region of WIMP parameter space which can simultaneously accommodate DAMA and the null results of CDMS, CRESST, and XENON. This region corresponds to an ordinary, elastically-scattering WIMP with a standard Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, a mass 3 GeV < m_{DM} <8 GeV, and a spin-independent cross section with nucleons 3 \times 10^{-41} cm^2 < σ_p^{SI} < 5 \times 10^{-39} cm^2. This new region of parameter space depends crucially on the recently discovered effect of channeling on the energy threshold for WIMP detection in the DAMA experiment; without the inclusion of this effect, the DAMA allowed region is essentially closed by null experiments. Such low-mass WIMPs arise in many theories of Beyond the Standard Model physics, from minimal extensions of the MSSM to solutions of the baryon-dark matter coincidence problem. We find that inelastic scattering channels do not open up a significant parameter region consistent with all experimental results. Future experiments with low energy thresholds for detecting nuclear recoils, such as CDMSII-Si and those utilizing ultra-low energy germanium detectors, will be able to probe the DAMA region of parameter space.

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Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to t-tbar-Z production at the LHC

We present a calculation of the full next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the scattering process pp \to t tbar Z. This channel will be used to measure the t tbar Z electroweak couplings at the Large Hadron Collider. These couplings cannot be directly measured in current experiments. To obtain these results, we utilize a novel, completely numerical approach to performing higher order QCD calculations. We find that for reasonable values of the renormalization and factorization scales the QCD corrections increase the leading order result by 35 percent, while reducing the theoretical error arising from uncalculated higher order corrections to approximately 10 percent.

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