arXiv subjects

Massimiliano Grazzini

Publications and source records attributed to Massimiliano Grazzini.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Higgs boson production at large transverse momentum within SMEFT: analytical results

We consider Higgs boson production through gluon fusion at large transverse momentum in hadronic collisions. We present the analytic expressions of the relevant one-loop QCD amplitudes including the effects of the complete set of dimension-six operators. The latter correspond to modifications of the top and bottom Yukawa couplings, to an effective point-like Higgs coupling to gluons and to the chromomagnetic operator of the top quark. The quantitative impact of the chromomagnetic operator is also studied. Our results confirm previous findings that the effect of the chromomagnetic operator at high $p_T$ can be large and should not be neglected.

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arXiv2018

Diphoton production at the LHC: a QCD study up to NNLO

We consider the production of prompt-photon pairs at the LHC and we report on a study of QCD radiative corrections up to the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO). We present a detailed comparison of next-to-leading order (NLO) results obtained within the standard and smooth cone isolation criteria, by studying the dependence on the isolation parameters. We highlight the role of different partonic subprocesses within the two isolation criteria, and we show that they produce large radiative corrections for both criteria. Smooth cone isolation is a consistent procedure to compute QCD radiative corrections at NLO and beyond. If photon isolation is sufficiently tight, we show that the NLO results for the two isolation procedures are consistent with each other within their perturbative uncertainties. We then extend our study to NNLO by using smooth cone isolation. We discuss the impact of the NNLO corrections and the corresponding perturbative uncertainties for both fiducial cross sections and distributions, and we comment on the comparison with some LHC data. Throughout our study we remark the main features that are produced by the kinematical selection cuts that are applied to the photons. In particular, we examine soft-gluon singularities that appear in the perturbative computations of the invariant mass distribution of the photon pair, the transverse-momentum spectra of the photons, and the fiducial cross section with asymmetric and symmetric photon transverse-momentum cuts, and we present their behaviour in analytic form.

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arXiv2018

Higgs boson pair production at NNLO with top quark mass effects

We consider QCD radiative corrections to Higgs boson pair production through gluon fusion in proton collisions. We combine the exact next-to-leading order (NLO) contribution, which features two-loop virtual amplitudes with the full dependence on the top quark mass $M_t$, with the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) corrections computed in the large-$M_t$ approximation. The latter are improved with different reweighting techniques in order to account for finite-$M_t$ effects beyond NLO. Our reference NNLO result is obtained by combining one-loop double-real corrections with full $M_t$ dependence with suitably reweighted real--virtual and double-virtual contributions evaluated in the large-$M_t$ approximation. We present predictions for inclusive cross sections in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=13, 14, 27 and 100TeV and we discuss their uncertainties due to missing $M_t$ effects. Our approximated NNLO corrections increase the NLO result by an amount ranging from +12% at $\sqrt{s}$=13TeV to +7% at $\sqrt{s}$=100TeV, and the residual uncertainty from missing $M_t$ effects is estimated to be at the few percent level. Our calculation is fully differential in the Higgs boson pair and the associated jet activity: we also present predictions for various differential distributions at $\sqrt{s}$=14 and 100TeV. Our results represent the most advanced perturbative prediction available to date for this process.

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arXiv2017

Fully differential NNLO computations with MATRIX

We present the computational framework MATRIX which allows us to evaluate fully differential cross sections for a wide class of processes at hadron colliders in next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD. The processes we consider are $2\to 1$ and $2\to 2$ hadronic reactions involving Higgs and vector bosons in the final state. All possible leptonic decay channels of the vector bosons are included for the first time in the calculations, by consistently accounting for all resonant and non-resonant diagrams, off-shell effects and spin correlations. We briefly introduce the theoretical framework MATRIX is based on, discuss its relevant features and provide a detailed description of how to use MATRIX to obtain NNLO accurate results for the various processes. We report reference predictions for inclusive and fiducial cross sections of all the physics processes considered here and discuss their corresponding uncertainties. MATRIX features an automatic extrapolation procedure that allows us, for the first time, to control the systematic uncertainties inherent to the applied NNLO subtraction procedure down to the few permille level (or better).

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arXiv2017

Effective Field Theory for Higgs properties parametrisation: the transverse momentum spectrum case

After the Higgs boson discovery, LHC can be used as a precision machine to explore its properties. Indeed, in case new resonances will not be found, the only access to New Physics would be via measuring small deviations from the SM predictions. A consistent approach is provided by a bottom-up Effective Field Theory, with dimension six operators built of Standard Model fields (SMEFT). We discuss how this approach works in case of the transverse momentum spectrum of the Higgs particle. In our calculation we augmented the Standard Model with three additional operators describing modifications of the top and bottom Yukawa couplings, and a point-like Higgs coupling to gluons. Based on recently presented resummed transverse-momentum spectra including these operators at NLL+NLO accuracy,which we recently presented in Ref [1], in this note we show the extension of the calculation to NNLL+NNLO. We find that such modifications, while affecting the total rate within the current uncertainties, can lead to significant distortions of the spectrum. Additionally, through significant reduction of the scale uncertainty we improve the sensitivity to the new operators.

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arXiv2017

$W^\pm Z$ production at the LHC: fiducial cross sections and distributions in NNLO QCD

We report on the first fully differential calculation for $W^\pm Z$ production in hadron collisions up to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in QCD perturbation theory. Leptonic decays of the $W$ and $Z$ bosons are consistently taken into account, i.e. we include all resonant and non-resonant diagrams that contribute to the process $pp\to \ell^{'\pm} ν_{\ell^{'}} \ell^+\ell^-+X$ both in the same-flavour ($\ell'=\ell$) and the different-flavour ($\ell'\neq \ell$) channel. Fiducial cross sections and distributions are presented in the presence of standard selection cuts applied in the experimental $W^\pm Z$ analyses by ATLAS and CMS at centre-of-mass energies of 8 and 13\,TeV. As previously shown for the inclusive cross section, NNLO corrections increase the NLO result by about $10\%$, thereby leading to an improved agreement with experimental data. The importance of NNLO accurate predictions is also shown in the case of new-physics scenarios, where, especially in high-$p_T$ categories, their impact can reach ${\cal O}(20\%)$. The availability of differential NNLO predictions will play a crucial role in the rich physics programme that is based on precision studies of $W^\pm Z$ signatures at the LHC.

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arXiv2016

Modeling BSM effects on the Higgs transverse-momentum spectrum in an EFT approach

We consider the transverse-momentum distribution of a Higgs boson produced through gluon fusion in hadron collisions. At small transverse momenta, the large logarithmic terms are resummed up to next-to-leading-logarithmic (NLL) accuracy. The resummed computation is consistently matched to the next-to-leading-order (NLO) result valid at large transverse momenta. The ensuing Standard Model prediction is supplemented by possible new-physics effects parametrised through three dimension-six operators related to the modification of the top and bottom Yukawa couplings, and to the inclusion of a point-like Higgs-gluon coupling, respectively. We present resummed transverse-momentum spectra including the effect of these operators at NLL+NLO accuracy and study their impact on the shape of the distribution. We find that such modifications, while affecting the total rate within the current uncertainties, can lead to significant distortions of the spectrum. The proper parametrization of such effects becomes increasingly important for experimental analyses in Run II of the LHC.

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arXiv2016

Differential Higgs Boson Pair Production at Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order in QCD

We report on the first fully differential calculation for double Higgs boson production through gluon fusion in hadron collisions up to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in QCD perturbation theory. The calculation is performed in the heavy-top limit of the Standard Model, and in the phenomenological results we focus on pp collisions at 14 TeV. We present differential distributions through NNLO for various observables including the transverse-momentum and rapidity distributions of the two Higgs bosons. NNLO corrections are at the level of 10%-25% with respect to the next-to-leading order (NLO) prediction with a residual scale uncertainty of 5%-15% and an overall mild phase-space dependence. Only at NNLO the perturbative expansion starts to converge yielding overlapping scale uncertainty bands between NNLO and NLO in most of the phase-space. The calculation includes NLO predictions for pp -> HH+jet+X. Corrections to the corresponding distributions exceed 50% with a residual scale dependence of 20%-30%.

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arXiv2016

Diphoton production at hadron colliders: a fully-differential QCD calculation at NNLO

We consider direct diphoton production in hadron collisions, and we compute the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD radiative corrections at the fully-differential level. Our calculation uses the $q_T$ subtraction formalism and it is implemented in a parton level Monte Carlo program. The program allows the user to apply arbitrary kinematical cuts on the final-state photons and the associated jet activity, and to compute the corresponding distributions in the form of bin histograms. We present selected numerical results related to Higgs boson searches at the LHC and corresponding results at the Tevatron.

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arXiv2016

$W^+W^-$ production at the LHC: fiducial cross sections and distributions in NNLO QCD

We consider QCD radiative corrections to $W^+W^-$ production at the LHC and present the first fully differential predictions for this process at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in perturbation theory. Our computation consistently includes the leptonic decays of the $W$ bosons, taking into account spin correlations, off-shell effects and non-resonant contributions. Detailed predictions are presented for the different-flavour channel $pp\toμ^+e^-ν_μ{\bar ν}_e+X$ at $\sqrt{s}=8$ and $13$ TeV. In particular, we discuss fiducial cross sections and distributions in the presence of standard selection cuts used in experimental $W^+W^-$ and $H\to W^+W^-$ analyses at the LHC. The inclusive $W^+W^-$ cross section receives large NNLO corrections, and, due to the presence of a jet veto, typical fiducial cuts have a sizeable influence on the behaviour of the perturbative expansion. The availability of differential NNLO predictions, both for inclusive and fiducial observables, will play an important role in the rich physics programme that is based on precision studies of $W^+W^-$ signatures at the LHC.

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arXiv2016

$W^{\pm}Z$ production at hadron colliders in NNLO QCD

We report on the first computation of the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD corrections to $W^{\pm}Z$ production in proton collisions. We consider both the inclusive production of on-shell $W^{\pm}Z$ pairs at LHC energies and the total $W^{\pm}Z$ rates including off-shell effects of the $W$ and $Z$ bosons. In the off-shell computation, the invariant mass of the lepton pairs from the $Z$ boson decay is required to be in a given mass window, and the results are compared with the corresponding measurements obtained by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations. The NNLO corrections range from 8% at $\sqrt{s}$=7 TeV to 11% at $\sqrt{s}$=14 TeV and significantly improve the agreement with the LHC data at $\sqrt{s}$=7 and 8 TeV.

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arXiv2016

Wgamma and Zgamma production at the LHC in NNLO QCD

We consider the production of Wgamma and Zgamma pairs at the LHC, and report on the fully differential computation of next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) corrections in QCD perturbation theory. The calculation includes leptonic vector-boson decays with the corresponding spin correlations, off-shell effects and final-state photon radiation. We present numerical results for pp collisions at 7 TeV, and compare them with available ATLAS data. In the case of Zgamma production, the impact of NNLO corrections is generally moderate, ranging from 8% to 17%, depending on the applied cuts. In the case of Wgamma production, the NNLO effects are more important, and range from 19% to 26%, thereby improving the agreement of the theoretical predictions with the data. As expected, a veto against jets significantly reduces the impact of QCD radiative corrections.

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arXiv2016

Status of diboson production in NNLO QCD

We present results from the first fully differential next-to-next-to leading order NNLO QCD computation of ZZ production, including off-shell effects, the leptonic decay and non-resonant contributions. We compare theoretical predictions to fiducial cross sections and distributions measured by ATLAS and CMS at 8 TeV and also perform a first comparison with early ATLAS measurements at 13 TeV.

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arXiv2015

The $q_T$ subtraction method for top quark production at hadron colliders

We consider QCD radiative corrections to top-quark pair production at hadron colliders. We use the $q_T$ subtraction formalism to perform a fully-differential computation for this process. Our calculation is accurate up to the next-to-leading order in QCD perturbation theory and it includes all the flavour off-diagonal partonic channels at the next-to-next-to-leading order. We present a comparison of our numerical results with those obtained with the publicly available numerical programs MCFM and Top++.

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arXiv2015

Vector boson production at hadron colliders: transverse-momentum resummation and leptonic decay

We consider the transverse-momentum ($q_T$) distribution of Drell-Yan lepton pairs produced, via $W$ and $Z/γ^*$ decay, in hadronic collisions. At small values of $q_T$, we resum the logarithmically-enhanced perturbative QCD contributions up to next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy. Resummed results are consistently combined with the known ${\mathcal O}(α_S^2)$ fixed-order results at intermediate and large values of $q_T$. Our calculation includes the leptonic decay of the vector boson with the corresponding spin correlations, the finite-width effects and the full dependence on the final-state lepton(s) kinematics. The computation is encoded in the numerical program DYRes, which allows the user to apply arbitrary kinematical cuts on the final-state leptons and to compute the corresponding distributions in the form of bin histograms. We present a comparison of our results with some of the available LHC data. The inclusion of the leptonic decay in the resummed calculation requires a theoretical discussion on the $q_T$ recoil due to the transverse momentum of the produced vector boson. We present a $q_T$ recoil procedure that is directly applicable to $q_T$ resummed calculations for generic production processes of high-mass systems in hadron collisions.

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arXiv2015

BSM effects on the Higgs transverse-momentum spectrum in an EFT approach

Effective Field Theories offer a consistent bottom-up approach to parametrise small deviations from Standard Model predictions. In this work we report on the application of the Effective Field Theory to shed light on effects from high-scale physics beyond the Standard Model on the Higgs transverse-momentum spectrum. The Standard Model prediction for the transverse-momentum distribution in Higgs boson production through gluon fusion is augmented by three new dimension-six operators, implying the modification of the top and bottom Yukawa couplings, and the inclusion of a point-like Higgs-gluon coupling. We present resummed transverse-momentum spectra including these operators at NLO+NLL accuracy and study their effects on the shape of the distribution. The proper parametrization of such effects becomes increasingly important for experimental analyses in Run II of the LHC.

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arXiv2015

Transverse-momentum resummation for vector-boson pair production at NNLL+NNLO

We consider the transverse-momentum ($p_T$) distribution of $ZZ$ and $W^+W^-$ boson pairs produced in hadron collisions. At small $p_T$, the logarithmically enhanced contributions due to multiple soft-gluon emission are resummed to all orders in QCD perturbation theory. At intermediate and large values of $p_T$, we consistently combine resummation with the known fixed-order results. We exploit the most advanced perturbative information that is available at present: next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic resummation combined with the next-to-next-to-leading fixed-order calculation. After integration over $p_T$, we recover the known next-to-next-to-leading order result for the inclusive cross section. We present numerical results at the LHC, together with an estimate of the corresponding uncertainties. We also study the rapidity dependence of the $p_T$ spectrum and we consider $p_T$ efficiencies at different orders of resummed and fixed-order perturbation theory.

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arXiv2015

ZZ production at the LHC: fiducial cross sections and distributions in NNLO QCD

We consider QCD radiative corrections to the production of four charged leptons in the ZZ signal region at the LHC. We report on the complete calculation of the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) corrections to this process in QCD perturbation theory. Numerical results are presented for $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV, using typical selection cuts applied by the ATLAS and CMS collaborations. The NNLO corrections increase the NLO fiducial cross section by about $15\%$, and they have a relatively small impact on the shape of the considered kinematical distributions. In the case of the $ΔΦ$ distribution of the two Z candidates, the NNLO corrections improve the agreement of the theoretical prediction with the CMS data.

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