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Lorenzo Tancredi

Publications and source records attributed to Lorenzo Tancredi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Solution of Canonical Differential Equations for Integrals on Arbitrary Geometries

A highly successful approach to computing multi-loop scattering amplitudes is to reduce the Feynman integrals that arise to a smaller set of master integrals using integration-by-parts identities. These dimensionally-regulated master integrals can often be determined by solving a system of first-order partial differential equations with respect to masses and external invariants. The application of this method to large classes of problems became much more streamlined thanks to the introduction of $ε$-factorized canonical forms. There is increasing evidence that a canonical form can always be achieved, although the required transformation may involve transcendental functions related to the periods of geometrical objects such as elliptic curves or Calabi-Yau manifolds. Until now, obtaining numerical values for the master integrals in such cases has been difficult in practice, also due to the lack of closed-form expressions for the transcendental functions involved. We show that this obstruction is only apparent. Since the original master integrals satisfy linear differential equations with rational coefficients, any functions appearing in the transformation to a canonical basis satisfy, by construction, rational differential equations as well. By solving these auxiliary equations, the numerical evaluation of the canonical system reduces to solving an enlarged rational system. We implement this strategy in a C\texttt{++} package and apply it to the two-loop master integrals that enter di-jet and $γ$+jet hadro-production via a heavy-quark loop.

hep-ph

NNLO QCD predictions for $t\bar t W$ production at hadron colliders

The production of a top-antitop quark pair in association with a $W$ boson constitutes one of the heaviest final states currently studied at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. Measurements of its production rate have consistently exceeded Standard Model predictions. Owing to the complexity of the two-loop amplitudes entering the double-virtual correction, next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) QCD calculations for this process have so far employed dynamical approximations for the two-loop contribution. We present NNLO QCD predictions based, for the first time, on a direct computation of the required two-loop amplitudes in the generalised leading-colour limit.

hep-ph

Integrand Analysis, Leading Singularities and Canonical Bases beyond Polylogarithms

In this paper, we elaborate on the connection between leading singularities and canonical bases of Feynman integrals beyond polylogarithms. We start by discussing a notion of leading singularities in dimensional regularization, which can be generalized from the Riemann sphere to more complex geometries, and use it to demonstrate how selecting Feynman integrals with unit leading singularities necessitates introducing new transcendental functions related to the periods of the underlying geometries. Integrals with unit leading singularities in this generalized sense, satisfy $ε$-factorized differential equations, and the new transcendental functions are in direct correspondence to the new differential forms appearing in their Gauss-Manin connection. We argue that this construction is mathematically equivalent to the splitting of the period matrix into semi-simple and unipotent parts plus a clean-up step, and demonstrate its use with examples of increasing complexity that require the interplay of multiple geometries.

hep-th

Canonical differential equations beyond polylogs

Feynman integrals whose associated geometries extend beyond the Riemann sphere, such as elliptic curves and Calabi-Yau varieties, are increasingly relevant in modern precision calculations. They arise not only in collider cross-section calculations, but also in the post-Minkowskian expansion of gravitational-wave scattering. A powerful approach to compute integrals of this type is via differential equations, particularly when cast in a canonical form, which simplifies their $\varepsilon$-expansion and makes analytic properties manifest. In these proceedings, we will present a method to systematically construct canonical differential equations even for integrals that evaluate beyond multiple polylogarithms. The discussion is kept as light as possible, focusing on the two-loop sunrise integral, deferring the technical details to the original publications.

hep-th

On the photon self-energy to three loops in QED

We compute the photon self-energy to three loops in Quantum Electrodynamics. The method of differential equations for Feynman integrals and a complete $ε$-factorization of the former allow us to obtain fully analytical results in terms of iterated integrals involving integration kernels related to a K3 geometry. We argue that our basis has the right properties to be a natural generalization of a canonical basis beyond the polylogarithmic case and we show that many of the kernels appearing in the differential equations, cancel out in the final result to finite order in $ε$. We further provide generalized series expansions that cover the whole kinematic space so that our results for the self-energy may be easily evaluated numerically for all values of the momentum squared. From the local solution at $p^2=0$, we extract the photon wave function renormalization constant in the on-shell scheme to three loops and confirm its agreement with previously obtained results.

hep-th

One-Loop QCD Corrections to $\bar{u}d \rightarrow t\bar{t}W$ at $\mathcal{O}(\varepsilon^2)$

We present a computation of the one-loop QCD corrections to top-quark pair production in association with a $W$ boson, including terms up to order $\varepsilon^2$ in dimensional regularization. Providing a first glimpse into the complexity of the corresponding two-loop amplitude, this result is a first step towards a description of this process at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in QCD. We perform a tensor decomposition and express the corresponding form factors in terms of a basis of independent special functions with compact rational coefficients, providing a structured framework for future developments. In addition, we derive an explicit analytic representation of the form factors, valid up to order $\varepsilon^0$, expressed in terms of logarithms and dilogarithms. For the complete set of special functions required, we obtain a semi-numerical solution based on generalized power series expansion.

hep-ph

High-Energy Evolution of Power-Suppressed Amplitudes

We present a new class of evolution equations which govern the high-energy behavior of power-suppressed scattering amplitudes. The equations can be viewed as a renormalization group flow with respect to the relevant effective field theory cutoff. A distinct feature of the method is in the use of a multidimensional cutoff to separate the relevant scales in problems characterized by a complex factorization structure. By adjusting the renormalization group variables to the geometry of the effective theory modes, our method naturally extends to a broad spectrum of physical problems including massive, massless, small, and wide angle scattering. We present applications to the benchmark processes of electron-positron forward annihilation and light quark mediated Higgs boson production/decays.

hep-ph

Analytic two-loop amplitudes for di-jet and $γ+$jet production mediated by a heavy-quark loop

In this paper, we present analytical results for the two-loop QCD corrections to the production of two partons or a photon and a parton in hadronic collisions, mediated by loops of massive quarks. These amplitudes involve Feynman integrals defined on an elliptic curve. We compute them by generalizing our recent results for the production of two photons to include additional crossings of the corresponding master integrals, which we compute in terms of the same basis of independent iterated integrals. We discuss the analytical properties of the amplitudes, highlighting the cancellations of a large number of elliptic differential forms in their finite remainders. Finally, we elaborate on a strategy for their numerical evaluation based on generalized series expansions at singular points of the physical amplitude, through the introduction of suitable sets of variables that allow us to resolve all singularities.

hep-ph

Aspects of canonical differential equations for Calabi-Yau geometries and beyond

We show how a method to construct canonical differential equations for multi-loop Feynman integrals recently introduced by some of the authors can be extended to cases where the associated geometry is of Calabi-Yau type and even beyond. This can be achieved by supplementing the method with information from the mixed Hodge structure of the underlying geometry. We apply these ideas to specific classes of integrals whose associated geometry is a one-parameter family of Calabi-Yau varieties, and we argue that the method can always be successfully applied to those cases. Moreover, we perform an in-depth study of the properties of the resulting canonical differential equations. In particular, we show that the resulting canonical basis is equivalent to the one obtained by an alternative method recently introduced in the literature. We apply our method to non-trivial and cutting-edge examples of Feynman integrals necessary for gravitational wave scattering, further showcasing its power and flexibility.

hep-th

Analytic two-loop amplitudes for $q\bar{q}\to γγ$ and $gg \to γγ$ mediated by a heavy-quark loop

We address the analytic computation of the two-loop scattering amplitudes for the production of two photons in parton-parton scattering, mediated by loops of heavy quarks. Due to the presence of integrals of elliptic type, both partonic channels have been previously computed using semi-numerical methods. In this paper, leveraging new advances in the theory of differential equations for elliptic Feynman integrals, we derive a canonical basis for all integrals involved and compute them in terms of independent iterated integrals over elliptic and polylogarithmic differential forms. We use this representation to showcase interesting cancellations in the physical expressions for the scattering amplitudes. Furthermore, we address their numerical evaluation by producing series expansion representations for the whole amplitudes, which we demonstrate to be fast and numerically reliable across a large region of the phase space.

hep-ph

Graded transcendental functions: an application to four-point amplitudes with one off-shell leg

Several recent works have demonstrated the powerful algebraic simplifications that can be achieved for scattering amplitudes through a systematic grading of transcendental quantities. We develop these concepts to construct a minimal basis of functions tailored to a scattering amplitude in a general way. Starting with formal solutions for all master integral topologies, we organise the appearing functions by properties such as their symbol alphabet or letter adjacency. We rotate the basis such that functions with spurious features appear in the least possible number of basis elements. Since their coefficients must vanish for physical quantities, this approach avoids complex cancellations. As a first application, we evaluate all integral topologies relevant to the three-loop $Hggg$ and $Hgq\bar{q}$ amplitudes in the leading-colour approximation and heavy-top limit. We describe the derivation of canonical differential equation systems and present a method for fixing boundary conditions without the need for a full functional representation. Using multiple numerical reductions, we test the maximal transcendentality conjecture for $Hggg$ and identify a new letter which appears in functions of weight 4 and 5. In addition, we provide the first direct analytic computation of a three-point form factor of the operator $\mathrm{Tr}(ϕ^2)$ in planar $\mathcal{N}=4$ sYM and find agreement with numerical and bootstrapped results.

hep-th

On the electron self-energy to three loops in QED

We compute the electron self-energy in Quantum Electrodynamics to three loops in terms of iterated integrals over kernels of elliptic type. We make use of the differential equations method, augmented by an $ε$-factorized basis, which allows us to gain full control over the differential forms appearing in the iterated integrals to all orders in the dimensional regulator. We obtain compact analytic expressions, for which we provide generalized series expansion representations that allow us to evaluate the result numerically for all values of the electron momentum squared. As a by product, we also obtain $ε$-resummed results for the self-energy in the on-shell limit $p^2 = m^2$, which we use to recompute the known three-loop renormalization constants in the on-shell scheme.

hep-th

Three-loop helicity amplitudes for four-quark scattering in massless QCD

We compute the three-loop corrections to the helicity amplitudes for $q\bar{q}\to Q\bar{Q}$ scattering in massless QCD. In the Lorentz decomposition of the scattering amplitude we avoid evanescent Lorentz structures and map the corresponding form factors directly to the physical helicity amplitudes. We reduce the amplitudes to master integrals and express them in terms of harmonic polylogarithms. The renormalised amplitudes exhibit infrared divergences of dipole and quadrupole type, as predicted by previous work on the infrared structure of multileg scattering amplitudes. We derive the finite remainders and present explicit results for all relevant partonic channels, both for equal and different quark flavours.

hep-ph

Interference Effects in $\mathbf{gg \to H \to Z γ}$ Beyond Leading Order

The ATLAS and CMS collaborations at the LHC have recently announced evidence for the rare Higgs boson decay into a $Z$ boson and a photon. We analyze the interference between the process $gg\! \to \! H \! \to \! Z γ$ induced by loops of heavy particles, which is by far the dominant contribution to the signal, and the continuum $gg \to Z γ$ QCD background process mediated by light quark loops. This interference modifies the event yield, the resonance line-shape and the apparent mass of the Higgs boson. We calculate the radiative corrections to this interference beyond the leading-order approximation in perturbative QCD and find that, while differing numerically from the corresponding effects on the more studied $gg \! \to \! γγ$ signal, they are generally rather small. As such, they do not impact significantly the interpretation of the present measurements of the $H \to Z γ$ decay mode.

hep-ph

One loop QCD corrections to $gg \to t\overline{t}H$ at $\mathcal{O}(ε^2)$

We compute the one-loop corrections to \tth up to order $\mathcal{O}(ε^2)$ in the dimensional regularization parameter. We apply the projector method to compute polarized amplitudes, which generalize massless helicity amplitudes to the massive case. We employ a semi-numerical strategy to evaluate the scattering amplitudes. We express the form factors through scalar integrals analytically, and obtain separately integration by parts reduction identities in compact form. We integrate numerically the corresponding master integrals with an enhanced implementation of the Auxiliary Mass Flow algorithm. Using a numerical fit method, we concatenate the analytic and the numeric results, to obtain fast and reliable evaluation of the scattering amplitude. This approach improves numerical stability and evaluation time. Our results are implemented in the \texttt{Mathematica} package \texttt{TTH}.

hep-ph

Planar three-loop QCD helicity amplitudes for $V$+jet production at hadron colliders

We compute the planar three-loop Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) corrections to the helicity amplitudes involving a vector boson $V=Z,W^\pm,γ^*$, two quarks and a gluon. These amplitudes are relevant to vector-boson-plus-jet production at hadron colliders and other precision QCD observables. The planar corrections encompass the leading colour factors $N^3$, $N^2 N_f$, $N N_f^2$ and $N_f^3$. We provide the finite remainders of the independent helicity amplitudes in terms of multiple polylogrithms, continued to all kinematic regions and in a form which is compact and lends itself to efficient numerical evaluation.

hep-ph

Two-loop helicity amplitudes for $H+$jet production to higher orders in the dimensional regulator

In view of the forthcoming High-Luminosity phase of the LHC, next-to-next-to-next-to-leading (N$^3$LO) calculations for the most phenomenologically relevant processes become necessary. In this work, we take the first step towards this goal for H$+$jet production by computing the one- and two-loop helicity amplitudes for the two contributing processes, $H\to ggg$, $H\to q\bar{q}g$, in an effective theory with infinite top quark mass, to higher orders in the dimensional regulator. We decompose the amplitude in scalar form factors related to the helicity amplitudes and in a new basis of tensorial structures. The form factors receive contributions from Feynman integrals which were reduced to a novel canonical basis of master integrals. We derive and solve a set of differential equations for these integrals in terms of Multiple Polylogarithms (MPLs) of two variables up to transcendental weight six.

hep-ph

Five-Parton Scattering in QCD at Two Loops

We compute all helicity amplitudes for the scattering of five partons in two-loop QCD in all the relevant flavor configurations, retaining all contributing color structures. We employ tensor projection to obtain helicity amplitudes in the 't Hooft-Veltman scheme starting from a set of primitive amplitudes. Our analytic results are expressed in terms of massless pentagon functions, and are easy to evaluate numerically. These amplitudes provide important input to investigations of collinear-factorization breaking and to studies of the multi-Regge kinematics regime.

hep-ph