arXiv subjects

Marco Guzzi

Publications and source records attributed to Marco Guzzi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Impact of heavy-flavour production cross sections measured by the LHCb experiment on parton distribution functions at low x

The impact of recent measurements of heavy-flavour production in deep inelastic $ep$ scattering and in $pp$ collisions on parton distribution functions is studied in a QCD analysis in the fixed-flavour number scheme at next-to-leading order. Differential cross sections of charm- and beauty-hadron production measured by LHCb are used together with inclusive and heavy-flavour production cross sections in deep inelastic scattering at HERA. The heavy-flavour data of the LHCb experiment impose additional constraints on the gluon and the sea-quark distributions at low partonic fractions $x$ of the proton momentum, down to $x \sim 5 \times 10^{-6}$. This kinematic range is currently not covered by other experimental data in perturbative QCD fits.

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arXiv2015

Top-quark pair production at hadron colliders: differential cross section and phenomenological applications with DiffTop

The results of phenomenological studies of top-quark pair production in proton-proton collisions are presented. Differential cross sections are calculated in perturbative QCD at approximate next-to-next-to-leading order ${\cal O}(α_s^4)$ by using methods of threshold resummation beyond the leading logarithmic accuracy. Predictions for the single-particle inclusive kinematics are presented for transverse momentum and rapidity distributions of final-state top quarks. Uncertainties related to the description of proton structure, top-quark mass and strong coupling constant are investigated in detail. The results are compared to the recent measurements by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations at the LHC at the center of mass energy of 7 TeV. The calculation presented here is implemented in the computer code \textsc{Difftop} and can be applied to the general case of heavy-quark pair production at hadron-hadron colliders. For the first time, a fit of parton distribution functions at NNLO is performed by using the differential cross sections of top-quark pair production together with other data sets. The impact of the top-pair production on the precision of the gluon distribution at high scales is illustrated.

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arXiv2014

Differential cross sections for top pair production at the LHC

We present results of phenomenological studies for top-quark pair production at the LHC at the center of mass energy $\sqrt{S} = 7$ TeV. The transverse momentum and rapidity distributions for final-state top quarks are calculated in perturbative QCD at approximate next-to-next-to-leading order ${\cal O}(α_s^4)$ by using methods of threshold resummation beyond the leading logarithmic accuracy. The theoretical predictions are obtained by using the computer code \textsc{DiffTop} and are compared to recent measurements by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations. \textsc{Difftop} can be employed in the general case of heavy-quark pair production at hadron-hadron colliders and provides a basis for applications in QCD analyses for parton distribution functions determination.

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arXiv2014

The CT10 NNLO Global Analysis of QCD

We present next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) parton distribution functions (PDFs) from the CTEQ-TEA group. The CT10NNLO PDF fit is based on essentially the same global data sets used in the CT10 and CT10W NLO PDF analyses. After exploring the goodness of the fits to the HERA combined data and the Tevatron jet data, we present various predictions at NNLO accuracy for both existing and forthcoming precision measurements from the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The range of variations in the gluon distribution introduced by correlated systematic effects in inclusive jet production is also examined.

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arXiv2014

Nonperturbative contributions to a resummed leptonic angular distribution in inclusive neutral vector boson production

We present an analysis of nonperturbative contributions to the transverse momentum distribution of $Z/γ^*$ bosons produced at hadron colliders. The new data on the angular distribution $ϕ^*_η$ of Drell-Yan pairs measured at the Tevatron is shown to be in excellent agreement with a perturbative QCD prediction based on the Collins-Soper-Sterman (CSS) resummation formalism at NNLL accuracy. Using these data, we determine the nonperturbative component of the CSS resummed cross section and estimate its dependence on arbitrary resummation scales and other factors. With the scale dependence included at the NNLL level, a significant nonperturbative component is needed to describe the angular data.

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arXiv2013

Nonperturbative contributions to a resummed leptonic angular distribution in inclusive $Z/γ^*$ boson production

We summarize a new analysis of the distribution $ϕ_η^{*}$ of charged leptons produced in decays of $Z$ and $γ^{*}$ bosons in the Collins-Soper-Sterman (CSS) formalism for transverse momentum resummation. By comparing the $ϕ_η^{*}$ distribution measured at the Tevatron with the resummed CSS cross section with approximate ${\cal O}(α_{s}^{2})$ Wilson coefficients, we constrain the magnitude of the nonperturbative Gaussian smearing factor and analyze its uncertainty caused by variations in scale parameters. We find excellent agreement between the $ϕ_η^{*}$ data and our theoretical prediction, provided by the \textsc{ResBos} resummation program. The nonperturbative factor that we obtained can be used to update resummed QCD predictions for precision measurements in inclusive $W$ and $Z$ production and for comparisons to various models of nonperturbative dynamics.

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arXiv2013

Top-quark production at the LHC: differential cross section and phenomenological applications

We discuss top-quark pair production at hadron colliders and review available calculations of differential top-pair production cross section in perturbative QCD at approximate next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) within the threshold resummation formalism. These calculations are implemented into an open source program under development. We present phenomenological studies at the LHC that include transverse momentum and rapidity distribution of the top quarks at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. Preliminary results obtained with this program are in very good agreement with the recent LHC measurements.

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arXiv2013

Charm quark mass dependence in a global QCD analysis

We study the effect of the charm quark mass in the CTEQ global analysis of parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton. Constraints on the $\bar{\rm MS}$ mass of the charm quark are examined at the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) accuracy in the S-ACOT-$χ$ heavy-quark factorization scheme. The value of the charm quark mass from the hadronic scattering data in the CT10 NNLO fit, including semiinclusive charm production in DIS at HERA collider, is found to agree with the world average value. Various approaches for constraining $m_{c}$ in the global analysis and impact on LHC cross sections are reviewed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2013

Charm quark mass dependence in the CTEQ NNLO global QCD analysis

We discuss the impact of the charm quark mass in the CTEQ NNLO global analysis of parton distribution functions of the proton. The $\bar{\rm MS}$ mass $m_c(m_c)$ of the charm quark is extracted in the S-ACOT-$χ$ heavy-quark factorization scheme at ${\cal O}(α_s^2)$ accuracy and found to be in agreement with the world-average value. Impact on $m_c(m_c)$ of combined HERA-1 data on semiinclusive charm production at HERA collider and contributing systematic uncertainties are reviewed.

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arXiv2012

Massive neutral gauge boson production as a probe of nuclear modifications of parton distributions at the LHC

We analyze the role of nuclear modifications of parton distributions, notably, the nuclear shadowing and antishadowing corrections, in production of lepton pairs from decays of neutral electroweak gauge bosons in proton-lead and lead-collisions at the LHC. Using the Collins-Soper-Sterman resummation formalism that we extended to the case of nuclear parton distributions, we observed a direct correlation between the predicted behavior of the transverse momentum and rapidity distributions of the produced vector bosons and the pattern of quark and gluon nuclear modifications. This makes Drell-Yan pair production in $pA$ and $AA$ collisions at the LHC a useful tool for constraining nuclear PDFs in the small-$x$ shadowing and moderate-$x$ antishadowing regions.

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arXiv2012

General-mass treatment for deep inelastic scattering at two-loop accuracy

We present a next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) realization of a general quark mass scheme (S-ACOT-$χ$) in deep inelastic scattering and explore the impact of NNLO terms on heavy-quark structure functions $F_{2,L}^{c}(x,Q)$. An amended QCD factorization theorem for DIS is discussed that validates the S-ACOT-$χ$ scheme to all orders in the QCD coupling strength. As a new feature, kinematical constraints on collinear production of heavy quarks that are crucial near the heavy-quark threshold are included in the amended factorization theorem. An algorithmic procedure is outlined for implementing this scheme at NNLO by using mass-dependent and massless results from literature. At two loops in QCD cut diagrams, the S-ACOT-$χ$ scheme reduces scale dependence of heavy-quark DIS cross sections as compared to the fixed-flavor number scheme.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Progress in CTEQ-TEA PDF analysis

Recent developments in the CTEQ-TEA global QCD analysis are presented. The parton distribution functions CT10-NNLO are described, constructed by comparing data from many experiments to NNLO approximations of QCD.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Relic Densities of Dark Matter in the U(1)-Extended NMSSM and the Gauged Axion Supermultiplet

We compute the dark matter relic densities of neutralinos and axions in a supersymmetric model with a gauged anomalous U(1) symmetry, kinetically mixed with $U(1)_Y$ of hypercharge. The model is a variant of the USSM (the U(1) extended NMSSM), containing an extra U(1) symmetry and an extra singlet in the superpotential respect to the MSSM, where gauge invariance is restored by Peccei-Quinn interactions using a Stuckelberg multiplet. This approach introduces an axion (Im b) and a saxion (Re b) in the spectrum and generates an axino component for the neutralino. The Stuckelberg axion (Im b) develops a physical component (the gauged axion) after electroweak symmetry breaking. We classify all the interactions of the Lagrangian and perform a complete simulation study of the spectrum, determining the neutralino relic densities using micrOMEGAs. We discuss the phenomenological implications of the model analyzing mass values for the axion from the milli-eV to the MeV region. The possible scenarios that we analyze are significantly constrained by a combination of WMAP data, the exclusion limits from direct axion searches and the veto on late entropy release at the time of nucleosynthesis.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2011

Heavy-flavor contributions at NNLO in CTEQ PDF analysis

We discuss an NNLO realization of the general mass scheme S-ACOT-$χ$ for treatment of heavy-flavour production in neutral current deep-inelastic scattering. Practical implementation of the NNLO calculation is illustrated on the example of semi-inclusive structure functions $F_{2 c}(x,Q)$ and $F_{L c}(x,Q)$.

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arXiv2011

CT10 parton distributions and other developments in the global QCD analysis

We summarize several projects carried out by the CTEQ global analysis of parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton during 2010. We discuss a recently released CT10 family of PDFs with a fixed and variable QCD coupling strength; implementation of combined HERA and Tevatron lepton asymmetry data sets; theoretical issues associated with the analysis of $W$ charge asymmetry in PDF fits; PDFs for leading-order shower programs; and constraints on new color-octet fermions from the hadronic data.

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arXiv2010

Relic Densities of Gauged Axions and Supersymmetry

We illustrate the structure and the main phenomenological features of a supersymmetric model (the USSM-A) built following a bottom-up approach and containing an anomalous abelian gauge symmetry. This model supports a gauged axion in its spectrum and provides a generalization of the global (supersymmetric) Peccei-Quinn construction. Complete simulations of the neutralino relic density are performed. Bounds from CAST and WMAP, combined with dark matter simulations, provide significant constraints on the scale of the interactions between the axion and the gauge fields.

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arXiv2010

Constraints on color-octet fermions from a global parton distribution analysis

We report a parton distribution function (PDF) analysis of a complete set of hadron scattering data, in which a color-octet fermion (such as a gluino of supersymmetry) is incorporated as an extra parton constituent along with the usual standard model constituents. The data set includes the most up-to-date results from deep-inelastic scattering and from jet production in hadron collisions. Another feature is the inclusion in the fit of data from determinations of the strong coupling alpha_s(Q) at large and small values of the hard scale Q. Our motivation is to determine the extent to which the global PDF analysis may provide constraints on the new fermion, as a function of its mass and alpha_s(M_Z), independent of assumptions such as the mechanism of gluino decays. Based on this analysis, we find that gluino masses as low as 30 to 50 GeV may be compatible with the current hadronic data. Gluino masses below 15 GeV (25 GeV) are excluded if alpha_s(M_Z) varies freely (is equal to 0.118). At the outset, stronger constraints had been anticipated from jet production cross sections, but experimental systematic uncertainties, particularly in normalization, reduce the discriminating power of these data.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Gauged Axions and their QCD Interactions

We present a brief overview of axion models associated to anomalous abelian (gauge) symmetries, discussing their main phenomenological features. Among these, the mechanism of vacuum misalignment introduced at the QCD and at the electroweak phase transitions, with the appearance of periodic potentials, responsible for the generation of a mass for these types of axions.

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