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Michael Trott

Publications and source records attributed to Michael Trott.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2019

Proposal for the validation of Monte Carlo implementations of the standard model effective field theory

We propose a procedure to cross-validate Monte Carlo implementations of the standard model effective field theory. It is based on the numerical comparison of squared amplitudes computed at specific phase-space and parameter points in pairs of implementations. Interactions are fully linearised in the effective field theory expansion. The squares of linear effective field theory amplitudes and their interference with standard-model contributions are compared separately. Such pairwise comparisons are primarily performed at tree level and a possible extension to the one-loop level is also briefly considered. We list the current standard model effective field theory implementations and the comparisons performed to date.

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arXiv2018

Equations of motion, symmetry currents and EFT below the electroweak scale

The low-energy effective field theory is constructed by integrating out Standard Model states with masses proximate to the electroweak scale. We report the equations of motion for this theory, including corrections due to higher dimensional operators up to mass dimension six. We construct the corresponding symmetry currents, and discuss how the $\rm SU(2)_L \times U(1)_{\mathsf{y}}$ symmetry, and global symmetries, are manifested when Standard Model states are integrated out. Including contributions from higher dimensional operators to the equations of motion modifies the interpretation of conserved currents. We discuss the corrections to the electromagnetic current as an example, showing how modifications to the equation of motion, and corresponding surface terms, have a direct interpretation in terms of multipole charge distributions that act to source gauge fields.

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arXiv2018

Equations of Motion for the Standard Model Effective Field Theory: Theory and Applications

The equations of motion for the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) differ from those in the Standard Model. Corrections due to local contact operators modify the equations of motion and impact matching results at sub-leading order in the operator expansion. As a consequence, a matching coefficient in $\mathcal{L}^{(n)}$ (for operators of dimension $n$) can be dependent on the basis choice for $\mathcal{L}^{(m<n)}$. We report the SMEFT equations of motion with corrections due to $\mathcal{L}^{(5,6)}$. We demonstrate the effect of these corrections when matching to sub-leading order by considering the interpretation of recently reported $B \to K^{(*)} \ell^+ \ell^-$ lepton universality anomalies in the SMEFT.

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arXiv2018

The Standard Model as an Effective Field Theory

Projecting measurements of the interactions of the known Standard Model (SM) states into an effective field theory (EFT) framework is an important goal of the LHC physics program. The interpretation of measurements of the properties of the Higgs-like boson in an EFT allows one to consistently study the properties of this state, while the SM is allowed to eventually break down at higher energies. In this review, basic concepts relevant to the construction of such EFTs are reviewed pedagogically. Electroweak precision data is discussed as a historical example of some importance to illustrate critical consistency issues in interpreting experimental data in EFTs. A future precision Higgs phenomenology program can benefit from the projection of raw experimental results into consistent field theories such as the SM, the SM supplemented with higher dimensional operators (the SMEFT) or an Electroweak chiral Lagrangian with a dominantly $J^P = 0^+$ scalar (the HEFT). We discuss the developing SMEFT and HEFT approaches, that are consistent versions of such EFTs, systematically improvable with higher order corrections, and comment on the pseudo-observable approach. We review the challenges that have been overcome in developing EFT methods for LHC studies, and the challenges that remain.

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arXiv2018

Examining the neutrino option

The neutrino option is a scenario where the electroweak scale, and thereby the Higgs mass, is generated simultaneously with neutrino masses in the seesaw model. This occurs via the leading one loop and tree level diagrams matching the seesaw model onto the Standard Model Effective Field Theory. We advance the study of this scenario by determining one loop corrections to the leading order matching results systematically, performing a detailed numerical analysis of the consistency of this approach with Neutrino data and the Standard Model particle masses, and by examining the embedding of this scenario into a more ultraviolet complete model. We find that the neutrino option remains a viable and intriguing scenario to explain the origin of observed particle masses.

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arXiv2018

On expansions in neutrino effective field theory

We match the seesaw model for generating neutrino masses onto the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). We perform this matching at tree level up to dimension seven in the operator expansion. We explain how some of the perturbations of the neutrino mass matrix due to operators of mass dimension greater than five are tied to integrating out the heavy Majorana mass eigenstates in sequence. We demonstrate that the low energy limit of seesaw models are well described by the SMEFT, particularly when constructed using a flavour space expansion. Flavour space expansions of seesaw models are of interest as the coupling of the heavy states to the Standard Model, that are integrated out to generate neutrino masses, are through flavour space vectors $\in \mathbb{C}^3$. We point out that neutrino phenomenology can be systematically developed as a perturbation around the unknown eigenvectors diagonalizing the charged lepton mass matrix using the fact that these eigenvectors also form a basis of $\mathbb{C}^3$. This point holds in seesaw models and can also be applied to other models of neutrino mass generation to develop systematic expansions. We develop the algebra for this flavour space and discuss some phenomenology to illustrate this approach.

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arXiv2018

Scheming in the SMEFT... and a reparameterization invariance!

We explain a reparameterization invariance in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory present when considering $\barψ ψ\rightarrow \barψ ψ$ scatterings (with $ψ$ a fermion) and how this leads to unconstrained combinations of Wilson coefficients in global data analyses restricted to these measurements. We develop a $\{\hat{m}_W, \hat{m}_Z,\hat{G}_F\}$ input parameter scheme and compare results to the case when an input parameter set $\{\hatα, \hat{m}_Z,\hat{G}_F\}$ is used to constrain this effective theory from the global data set, confirming the input parameter independence of the unconstrained combinations of Wilson coefficients, and supporting the reparameterization invariance explanation. We discuss some conceptual issues related to these degeneracies that are relevant for LHC data reporting and analysis.

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arXiv2018

Higgs decay to two photons at one-loop in the SMEFT

We present the calculation of the $\rm CP$ conserving contributions to $Γ(h \rightarrow γγ)$, from dimension six operators at one-loop order, in the linear Standard Model Effective Field Theory. We discuss the impact of these corrections on interpreting current and future experimental bounds on this decay.

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arXiv2018

On interference and non-interference in the SMEFT

We discuss interference in the limit $\hat{m}_{W}^2/s \rightarrow 0$ in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). Dimension six operators that contribute to $\barψ ψ\rightarrow \bar{ψ'}_1 ψ_2' \bar{ψ'}_3 ψ'_4$ scattering events can experience a suppression of interference effects with the Standard Model in this limit. This occurs for subsets of phase space in some helicity configurations. We show that approximating these scattering events by $2\rightarrow 2$ on-shell scattering results for intermediate unstable gauge bosons, and using the narrow width approximation, can miss interference terms present in the full phase space. Such interference terms can be uncovered using off-shell calculations as we explicitly show and calculate. We also study the commutation relation between the SMEFT expansion and the narrow width approximation, and discuss some phenomenological implications of these results.

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arXiv2017

The SMEFTsim package, theory and tools

We report codes for the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) in FeynRules -- the SMEFTsim package. The codes enable theoretical predictions for dimension six operator corrections to the Standard Model using numerical tools, where predictions can be made based on either the electroweak input parameter set $\{\hatα_{ew}, \hat{m}_Z, \hat{G}_F \}$ or $\{\hat{m}_{W}, \hat{m}_Z, \hat{G}_F\}$. All of the baryon and lepton number conserving operators present in the SMEFT dimension six Lagrangian, defined in the Warsaw basis, are included. A flavour symmetric ${\rm U}(3)^5$ version with possible non-SM $\rm CP$ violating phases, a (linear) minimal flavour violating version neglecting such phases, and the fully general flavour case are each implemented. The SMEFTsim package allows global constraints to be determined on the full Wilson coefficient space of the SMEFT. As the number of parameters present is large, it is important to develop global analyses on reduced sets of parameters minimizing any UV assumptions and relying on IR kinematics of scattering events and symmetries. We simultaneously develop the theoretical framework of a "W-Higgs-Z pole parameter" physics program that can be pursued at the LHC using this approach and the SMEFTsim package. We illustrate this methodology with several numerical examples interfacing SMEFTsim with MadGraph5. The SMEFTsim package can be downloaded at https://feynrules.irmp.ucl.ac.be/wiki/SMEFT

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arXiv2017

The Neutrino Option

The minimal seesaw scenario can radiatively generate the Higgs potential to induce electroweak symmetry breaking while supplying an origin of the Higgs vacuum expectation value from an underlying Majorana scale. If the Higgs potential and (derived) electroweak scale have this origin, the heavy $\rm SU(3) \times SU(2) \times U(1)_Y$ singlet states are expected to reside at $m_N \sim 10-500 \, {\rm PeV} $ for couplings $|ω| \sim 10^{-4.5}-10^{-6}$ between the Majorana sector and the Standard Model. In this framework, the challenge of the electroweak scale hierarchy problem is replaced with a need to generate or accommodate PeV Majorana mass scales in ultraviolet models; the usual hierarchy problem is absent as the electroweak scale is not a fundamental scale.

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arXiv2017

Consistent constraints on the Standard Model Effective Field Theory

We develop the global constraint picture in the (linear) effective field theory generalisation of the Standard Model, incorporating data from detectors that operated at PEP, PETRA, TRISTAN, SpS, Tevatron, SLAC, LEPI and LEP II, as well as low energy precision data. We fit one hundred and three observables. We develop a theory error metric for this effective field theory, which is required when constraints on parameters at leading order in the power counting are to be pushed to the percent level, or beyond, unless the cut off scale is assumed to be large, $Λ\gtrsim \, 3 \, {\rm TeV}$. We more consistently incorporate theoretical errors in this work, avoiding this assumption, and as a direct consequence bounds on some leading parameters are relaxed. We show how an $\rm S,T$ analysis is modified by the theory errors we include as an illustrative example.

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arXiv2017

Towards consistent Electroweak Precision Data constraints in the SMEFT

We discuss the impact of many previously neglected effects of higher dimensional operators when fitting to Electroweak Precision data (EWPD) in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). We calculate the general case of $2 \rightarrow 2$ fermion scattering in the SMEFT to order $\mathcal{O}(\bar{v}_T^2/Λ^2)$ valid on and off the $Z$ pole, in the massless fermion limit. We demonstrate that previously neglected corrections scale as $Γ_Z M_Z/\bar{v}_T^2$ in the partial widths extracted from measured cross sections at LEPI, compared to the leading effect of dimension six operators in anomalous $Z$ couplings. Further, constraints on leading effects of anomalous $Z$ couplings are also modified by neglected perturbative corrections and dimension eight operators. We perform a minimal EWPD fit to illustrate the size of the error these corrections induce, when bounding leading effects. These considerations relax bounds compared to a naive leading order analysis, and show that constraints that rise above the percent level are subject to substantial theoretical uncertanties. We also argue that renormalization group running global constraints expressed through $χ^2$ functions to a common scale, and then minimizing and performing a global fit of all data allows more consistent constraints to be obtained in the SMEFT.

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arXiv2017

Incorporating doubly resonant $W^\pm$ data in a global fit of SMEFT parameters to lift flat directions

We calculate the double pole contribution to two to four fermion scattering through $W^{\pm}$ currents at tree level in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). We assume all fermions to be massless, $\rm U(3)^5$ flavour and $\rm CP$ symmetry. Using this result, we update the global constraint picture on SMEFT parameters including LEPII data on these charged current processes, and also include modifications to our fit procedure motivated by a companion paper focused on $W^{\pm}$ mass extractions. The fit reported is now to 177 observables and emphasises the need for a consistent inclusion of theoretical errors, and a consistent treatment of observables. Including charged current data lifts the two-fold degeneracy previously encountered in LEP (and lower energy) data, and allows us to set simultaneous constraints on 20 of 53 Wilson coefficients in the SMEFT, consistent with our assumptions. This allows the model independent inclusion of LEP data in SMEFT studies at LHC, which are projected into the SMEFT in a consistent fashion. We show how stronger constraints can be obtained by using some combinations of Wilson coefficients, when making assumptions on the UV completion of the Standard Model, or in an inconsistent analysis. We explain why strong bounds at the per-mille or sub-per-mille level on some combinations of Wilson coefficients in the Effective Lagrangian can be artificially enhanced in fits of this form in detail. This explains some of the different claims present in the literature.

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arXiv2017

The $Z$ decay width in the SMEFT: $y_t$ and $λ$ corrections at one loop

We calculate one loop $y_t$ and $λ$ dependent corrections to $\barΓ_Z,\bar{R}_f^0$ and the partial $Z$ widths due to dimension six operators in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT), including finite terms. We assume $\rm CP$ symmetry and a $\rm U(3)^5$ symmetry in the UV matching onto the dimension six operators, dominantly broken by the Standard Model Yukawa matrices. Corrections to these observables are predicted using the input parameters $\{\hatα_{ew}, \hat{M}_Z, \hat{G}_F, \hat{m}_t, \hat{m}_h\}$ extracted with one loop corrections in the same limit. We show that at one loop the number of SMEFT parameters contributing to the precise LEPI pseudo-observables exceeds the number of measurements. As a result the SMEFT parameters contributing to LEP data are formally unbounded when the size of loop corrections are reached until other data is considered in a global analysis. The size of these loop effects is generically a correction of order $\sim\%$ to leading effects in the SMEFT, but we find multiple large numerical coefficients in our calculation at this order. We use a $\rm \overline{MS}$ scheme, modified for the SMEFT, for renormalization. Some subtleties involving novel evanescent scheme dependence present in this result are explained.

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arXiv2017

On one-loop corrections in the standard model effective field theory; the $Γ(h \rightarrow γ\, γ)$ case

We calculate one loop contributions to $Γ(h \rightarrow γ\, γ)$ from higher dimensional operators, in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). Some technical challenges related to determining Electroweak one loop "finite terms" are discussed and overcome. Although we restrict our attention to $Γ(h \rightarrow γ\, γ)$, several developments we report have broad implications. Firstly, the running of the vacuum expectation value modifies the $\log(μ)$ dependence of processes in a manner that is not captured in some past SMEFT Renormalization Group (RG) calculations. Secondly, higher dimensional operators can source ghost interactions in $R_ξ$ gauges due to a modified gauge fixing procedure. Lastly, higher dimensional operators can contribute with pure finite terms at one loop in a manner that is not anticipated in a RG analysis. These results cast recent speculation on the nature of one loop corrections in the SMEFT in an entirely new light.

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arXiv2017

EWPD in the SMEFT and the $\mathcal{O}(y_t^2,λ)$ one loop $Z$ decay width

The interpretation of electroweak precision data in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory is discussed. One loop corrections $\propto y_t^2, λ$ to the partial $Z$ decay widths and ratios of partial widths in this theory are discussed. A reparameterization invariance and the non-minimal character of matching onto this theory is reviewed.

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