arXiv subjects

Ioannis Tsinikos

Publications and source records attributed to Ioannis Tsinikos.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Automated EW corrections with isolated photons: $t \bar t γ$, $t \bar t γγ$ and $t γj$ as case studies

In this work we compute for the first time the so-called Complete-NLO predictions for top-quark pair hadroproduction in association with at least one isolated photon ($ t \bar t γ$). We also compute NLO QCD+EW predictions for the similar case with at least two isolated photons ($ t \bar t γγ$) and for single-top hadroproduction in association with at least one isolated photon. In addition, we complement our results with NLO QCD+EW predictions of the hadronic and leptonic decays of top-quark including an isolated photon. All these results have been obtained in a completely automated approach, by extending the capabilities of the MadGraph5_aMC@NLO framework and enabling the Complete-NLO predictions for processes with isolated photons in the final state. We discuss the technical details of the implementation, which involves a mixed EW renormalisation scheme for such processes.

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arXiv2021

Probing the spin correlations of $t\bar t $ production at NLO QCD+EW

In this work we investigate the NLO QCD+EW corrections to the top quark pair production and their effects on the spin correlation coefficients and asymmetries at fixed-order top quark pair production and LO decay in the dilepton channel, within the narrow-width approximation. The spin correlations are implicitly measured through the lepton kinematics. Moreover we study the EW effects to the leptonic differential distributions. We find that the EW corrections to the $t \bar t$ production are within the NLO QCD theoretical uncertainties for the spin correlation coefficients and the leptonic asymmetries. On the other hand, for the differential distributions we find that the EW corrections exceed the NLO QCD scale uncertainty band in the high rapidity regimes and are of the order of the NLO QCD scale uncertainty in the case of invariant mass and transverse momentum distributions.

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arXiv2021

On improving NLO merging for $t \bar t W$ production

We introduce an improvement to the FxFx matrix element merging procedure for $pp\to t \bar t W$ production at NLO in QCD with one and/or two additional jets. The main modification is an improved treatment of jets that are not logarithmically enhanced in the low transverse-momentum regime. We provide predictions for the inclusive cross section and the $t \bar t W$ differential distributions including parton-shower effects. Taking also the NLO EW corrections into account, this results in the most-accurate predictions for this process to date. We further proceed to include the on-shell LO decays of the $t \bar t W$ including the tree-level spin correlations within the narrow-width approximation, focusing on the multi-lepton signatures studied at the LHC. We find a $\sim\!\!30\%$ increase over the NLO QCD prediction and large non-flat $K$-factors to differential distributions.

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arXiv2020

NLO QCD+EW predictions for $tHj$ and $tZj$ production at the LHC

In this work we calculate the cross sections for the hadroproduction of a single top quark or antiquark in association with a Higgs ($tHj$) or $Z$ boson ($tZj$) at NLO QCD+EW accuracy. In the case of $tZj$ production we consider both the case of the $Z$ boson undecayed and the complete final state $t \ell^+ \ell^- j$, including off-shell and non-resonant effects. We perform our calculation in the five-flavour-scheme (5FS), without selecting any specific production channel ($s$-, $t$- or $tW$ associated). Moreover, we provide a more realistic estimate of the theory uncertainty by carefully including the differences between the four-flavour-scheme (4FS) and 5FS predictions. The difficulties underlying this procedure in the presence of EW corrections are discussed in detail. We find that NLO EW corrections are in general within the NLO QCD theory uncertainties only if the flavour scheme uncertainty (4FS vs.~5FS) is taken into account. For the case of $t \ell^+ \ell^- j$ production we also investigate differences between NLO QCD+EW predictions and NLO QCD predictions matched with a parton shower simulation including multiple photon emissions.

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arXiv2020

Subleading EW corrections and spin-correlation effects in $t\bar{t}W$ multi-lepton signatures

Recently a slight tension between data and predictions has been reported in $t\bar{t}W$ production by both the CMS and ATLAS collaborations. We revisit the theoretical predictions for this process, focussing on the following two effects. We disentangle various effects that lead to asymmetries among the leptonic decay products of the (anti-)top quarks and $W$ bosons, for which we find that the spin correlations in the top-quark pair are the dominant source. We also discuss the impact of the large, formally subleading, electroweak corrections to $t\bar{t}W$ production at the LHC. We find that this effect changes the $t\bar{t}W$ cross section significantly in the signature phase-space regions, and should therefore be included differentially in the theory to data comparisons.

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arXiv2020

Top-quark pair production at complete-NLO accuracy with NNLO+NNLL$'$ corrections in QCD

We describe predictions for top-quark pair differential distributions at hadron colliders, which combine state-of-the-art NNLO QCD calculations and NLO electroweak corrections together with double resummation at NNLL$'$ accuracy of threshold logarithms and small-mass logarithms. This is the first time that such a combination has appeared in the literature. Numerical results are presented for the invariant-mass distribution, the transverse-momentum distribution as well as rapidity distributions.

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arXiv2019

Precise predictions for single-top production: the impact of EW corrections and QCD shower on the t-channel signature

In this work we calculate and provide precise predictions for the signature that is typically exploited at the LHC for the measurement of t-channel single-top production: 1 lepton, 1 light jet, 1 b-jet, missing-ET and no additional jets or leptons. We apply the cuts that define the fiducial region and we take into account all the contributions to this signature; not only those from resonant t-channel single-top production. On the one hand, we calculate the complete-NLO corrections, i.e., all NLO effects of QCD and EW origin. On the other hand, we study in detail the impact of a QCD parton shower for the fiducial region we consider. We provide predictions in different approximations at the inclusive level and for several differential distributions. Our study demonstrates the relevance of both EW corrections and shower effects for obtaining precise and reliable theoretical predictions for the single-top-production fiducial region.

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arXiv2019

Top-quark pair hadroproduction in association with a heavy boson at NLO+NNLL including EW corrections

This work studies the associated production of a top-quark pair with a $W$, $Z$, or Higgs boson at the LHC. Predictions for the total cross sections as well as for several differential distributions of the massive particles in the final state are provided. These predictions, valid for the LHC operating at $13$ TeV, include without any approximation all the NLO electroweak and QCD contributions of $\mathcal{O}(α_s^{i} α^{j+1})$ with $i+j=2,3$. In addition, the predictions presented here improve upon the NLO QCD results by adding the effects of soft gluon emission corrections resummed to next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy. The residual dependence of the predictions on scale and PDF choices is analyzed.

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arXiv2019

NNLO versus NLO multi-jet merging for top-pair production including electroweak corrections

In this proceedings we compare phenomenological predictions for differential distributions in top-quark pair production at the LHC. In particular we consider NNLO QCD fixed-order predictions and parton-level predictions based on NLO QCD multi-jet merging following the MEPS@NLO scheme. In both predictions NLO electroweak (EW) corrections are incorporated in different approximations. We focus on several transverse-momentum distributions and on the top-quark invariant mass distribution, both highly relevant for the ongoing physics program at the LHC. We discuss comparisons between the different considered approximations and their advantages and disadvantages for different distributions.

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arXiv2017

Top-quark pair production at NNLO QCD + NLO EW accuracy: Tevatron results

We calculate all main top-quark pair differential distributions at the Tevatron. For the first time Tevatron predictions for this process include all Standard Model corrections through NLO (referred to as complete-NLO) consistently combined with previously computed NNLO QCD corrections. We also assess, for the first time, the impact of dynamical scales on predictions for the latest Tevatron measurements.

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arXiv2017

Top-pair production at the LHC through NNLO QCD and NLO EW

In this work we present for the first time predictions for top-quark pair differential distributions at the LHC at NNLO QCD accuracy and including EW corrections. For the latter we include not only contributions of ${\cal O}(α_s^2 α)$, but also those of order ${\cal O}(α_s α^2)$ and ${\cal O}( α^3)$. Besides providing phenomenological predictions for all main differential distributions with stable top quarks, we also study the following issues. 1) The effect of the photon PDF on top-pair spectra: we find it to be strongly dependent on the PDF set used -- especially for the top $p_T$ distribution. 2) The difference between the additive and multiplicative approaches for combining QCD and EW corrections: with our scale choice, we find relatively small differences between the central predictions, but reduced scale dependence within the multiplicative approach. 3) The potential effect from the radiation of heavy bosons on inclusive top-pair spectra: we find it to be, typically, negligible.

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arXiv2017

The top-quark charge asymmetry at the LHC and Tevatron through NNLO QCD and NLO EW

We provide the most up-to-date predictions for the top-quark charge asymmetry A_C at the LHC with a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. Our result is accurate at the NNLO level in the strong interactions and at the complete-NLO level in both the strong and electroweak interactions. We present results for the inclusive A_C, several differential asymmetries as well as the P_{T,tt} and M_{tt} cumulative asymmetries. Similarly to the Tevatron forward-backward asymmetry A_FB, both NNLO QCD and NLO EW corrections to A_C are found to be significant. The inclusion of higher-order corrections reduces the residual scale dependence in the predicted A_C. The pattern of higher-order corrections indicates good perturbative control over these observables. We conclude that at present there is nearly uniform agreement between Standard Model predictions and LHC measurements across all A_C-related observables. All previously published differential A_FB predictions at the Tevatron are updated to the same accuracy.

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arXiv2016

EW corrections to $t \bar t$ distributions: the photon PDF effect

In this proceeding we present the impact of the EW corrections on $t \bar t$ distributions focusing on the effect of the photon PDF. We use the {\sc NNPDF2.3QED} and {\sc CT14QED} PDF sets, which include the photon PDF. We discuss a detailed comparison between the results obtained from these two PDF sets at NLO QCD+EW accuracy for 13 TeV, focusing on the top-quark $p_T$ and the top-quark pair rapidity. We point out the differences between these two PDF sets and we show that the rapidity of the top-quark pair can be used in order to constrain the photon PDF predicted by the {\sc NNPDF2.3QED} set.

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arXiv2016

The impact of the photon PDF and electroweak corrections on $t \bar t$ distributions

We discuss the impact of EW corrections on differential distributions in top-quark pair production at the LHC and future hadron colliders, focusing on the effects of initial-state photons. Performing a calculation at Next-to-Leading Order QCD+EW accuracy, we investigate in detail the impact of photon-initiated channels on central values as well as PDF and scale uncertainties, both at order $α_sα$ and $α_s^2α$. We present predictions at 13 and 100 TeV, and provide results for the 8 TeV differential measurements performed by ATLAS and CMS. A thorough comparison of results obtained with the NNPDF2.3QED and CT14QED PDF sets is performed. While contributions due to the photon PDF are negligible with CT14QED, this is not the case for NNPDF2.3QED, where such contributions are sizeable and show large PDF uncertainties. On the one hand, we show that differential observables in top-pair production, in particular top-quark and $t\bar t$ rapidities, can be used to improve the determination of the photon PDF within the NNPDF approach. On the other hand, with current PDF sets, we demonstrate the necessity of including EW corrections and photon-induced contributions for a correct determination of both the central value and the uncertainties of theoretical predictions.

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arXiv2016

Associated production of a top-quark pair with vector bosons at NLO in QCD: impact on $t \bar{t} H$ searches at the LHC

We study the production of a top-quark pair in association with one and two vector bosons, $t \bar t V$ and $t \bar t VV$ with $V=γ, Z, W^\pm$, at the LHC. We provide predictions at next-to-leading order in QCD for total cross sections and top-quark charge asymmetries as well as for differential distributions. A thorough discussion of the residual theoretical uncertainties related to missing higher orders and to parton distribution functions is presented. As an application, we calculate the total cross sections for this class of processes (together with $t \bar t H$ and $t \bar t t \bar t$ production) at hadron colliders for energies up to 100 TeV. In addition, by matching the NLO calculation to a parton shower, we determine the contribution of $t \bar t V$ and $t \bar t VV$ to final state signatures (two-photon and two-same-sign-, three- and four-lepton) relevant for $t \bar t H$ analyses at the Run II of the LHC.

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arXiv2016

Probing top quark neutral couplings in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory at NLO QCD

Top quark pair production in association with a $Z$-boson or a photon at the LHC directly probes neutral top-quark couplings. We present predictions for these two processes in the Standard Model (SM) Effective Field Theory (EFT) at next-to-leading (NLO) order in QCD. We include the full set of CP-even dimension-six operators that enter the top-quark interactions with the SM gauge bosons. For comparison, we also present predictions in the SMEFT for top loop-induced $HZ$ production at the LHC and for $t\bar{t}$ production at the ILC at NLO in QCD. Results for total cross sections and differential distributions are obtained and uncertainties coming from missing higher orders in the strong coupling and in the EFT expansions are discussed. NLO results matched to the parton shower are available, allowing for event generation to be directly employed in an experimental analyses. Our framework provides a solid basis for the interpretation of current and future measurements in the SMEFT, with improved accuracy and precision.

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