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Stefano Catani

Publications and source records attributed to Stefano Catani.

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

hep-ph↗
arXiv2013

Isolating Prompt Photons with Narrow Cones

We discuss the isolation of prompt photons in hadronic collisions by means of narrow isolation cones and the QCD computation of the corresponding cross sections. We reconsider the occurence of large perturbative terms with logarithmic dependence on the cone size and their impact on the fragmentation scale dependence. We cure the apparent perturbative violation of unitarity for small cone sizes, which had been noticed earlier in next-to-leading-order (NLO) calculations, by resumming the leading logarithmic dependence on the cone size. We discuss possible implications regarding the implementation of some hollow cone variants of the cone criterion, which simulate the experimental difficulty to impose isolation inside the region filled by the electromagnetic shower that develops in the calorimeter.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2012

Factorization violation in the multiparton collinear limit

We present an all-order generalized factorization formula for QCD scattering amplitudes in kinematical configurations where two or more momenta of the external partons become collinear. The singular behaviour of the scattering amplitudes in the collinear limit is encoded by collinear splitting matrices. In the space-like region and beyond the tree level, the collinear splitting matrices depend also on the momenta and quantum numbers of the non-collinear partons, thus breaking strict collinear factorization. Although the factorization breaking contribution partly cancels for squared amplitudes, due to its one-loop absorptive origin, remaining effects at high perturbative orders have implications on the non-abelian structure of logarithmically-enhanced terms in perturbative calculations and on various factorization issues of mass singularities.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2012

Space-like (vs. time-like) collinear limits in QCD: is factorization violated?

We consider the singular behaviour of QCD scattering amplitudes in kinematical configurations where two or more momenta of the external partons become collinear. At the tree level, this behaviour is known to be controlled by factorization formulae in which the singular collinear factor is universal (process independent). We show that this strict (process-independent) factorization is not valid at one-loop and higher-loop orders in the case of the collinear limit in space-like regions (e.g., collinear radiation from initial-state partons). We introduce a generalized version of all-order collinear factorization, in which the space-like singular factors retain some dependence on the momentum and colour charge of the non-collinear partons. We present explicit results on one-loop and two-loop amplitudes for both the two-parton and multiparton collinear limits. At the level of square amplitudes and, more generally, cross sections in hadron--hadron collisions, the violation of strict collinear factorization has implications on the non-abelian structure of logarithmically-enhanced terms in perturbative calculations (starting from the next-to-next-to-leading order) and on various factorization issues of mass singularities (starting from the next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order).

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

Feynman's Tree Theorem and Loop-Tree Dualities

We discuss the duality theorem, which provides a relation between loop integrals and phase space integrals. We rederive the duality relation for the one-loop case and extend it to two and higher-order loops. We explicitly show its application to two- and three-loop scalar master integrals and discuss the structure of the occurring cuts.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2010

A Tree-Loop Duality Relation at Two Loops and Beyond

The duality relation between one-loop integrals and phase-space integrals, developed in a previous work, is extended to higher-order loops. The duality relation is realized by a modification of the customary +i0 prescription of the Feynman propagators, which compensates for the absence of the multiple-cut contributions that appear in the Feynman tree theorem. We rederive the duality theorem at one-loop order in a form that is more suitable for its iterative extension to higher-loop orders. We explicitly show its application to two- and three-loop scalar master integrals, and we discuss the structure of the occurring cuts and the ensuing results in detail.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

From loops to trees by-passing Feynman's theorem

We derive a duality relation between one-loop integrals and phase-space integrals emerging from them through single cuts. The duality relation is realized by a modification of the customary +i0 prescription of the Feynman propagators. The new prescription regularizing the propagators, which we write in a Lorentz covariant form, compensates for the absence of multiple-cut contributions that appear in the Feynman Tree Theorem. The duality relation can be applied to generic one-loop quantities in any relativistic, local and unitary field theories. %It is suitable for applications to the analytical calculation of %one-loop scattering amplitudes, and to the numerical evaluation of %cross-sections at next-to-leading order. We discuss in detail the duality that relates one-loop and tree-level Green's functions. We comment on applications to the analytical calculation of one-loop scattering amplitudes, and to the numerical evaluation of cross-sections at next-to-leading order.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2008

From multileg loops to trees (by-passing Feynman's Tree Theorem)

We illustrate a duality relation between one-loop integrals and single-cut phase-space integrals. The duality relation is realised by a modification of the customary +i0 prescription of the Feynman propagators. The new prescription regularizing the propagators, which we write in a Lorentz covariant form, compensates for the absence of multiple-cut contributions that appear in the Feynman Tree Theorem. The duality relation can be extended to generic one-loop quantities, such as Green's functions, in any relativistic, local and unitary field theories.

hep-th↗
arXiv2004

Collinear splitting, parton evolution and the strange-quark asymmetry of the nucleon in NNLO QCD

We consider the collinear limit of QCD amplitudes at one-loop order, and their factorization properties directly in colour space. These results apply to the multiple collinear limit of an arbitrary number of QCD partons, and are a basic ingredient in many higher-order computations. In particular, we discuss the triple collinear limit and its relation to flavour asymmetries in the QCD evolution of parton densities at three loops. As a phenomenological consequence of this new effect, and of the fact that the nucleon has non-vanishing quark valence densities, we study the perturbative generation of a strange--antistrange asymmetry $s(x)-\bar{s}(x)$ in the nucleon's sea.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Perturbative generation of a strange-quark asymmetry in the nucleon

We point out that perturbative evolution in QCD at three loops generates a strange-antistrange asymmetry s(x)-sbar(x) in the nucleon's sea just from the fact that the nucleon has non-vanishing up and down quark valence densities. The recently computed three-loop splitting functions allow for an estimate of this effect. We find that a fairly sizable asymmetry may be generated. Results for analogous asymmetries in the heavy-quark sector are also presented.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

The triple collinear limit of one-loop QCD amplitudes

We consider the singular behaviour of one-loop QCD matrix elements when several external partons become simultaneously parallel. We present a new factorization formula that describes the singular collinear behaviour directly in colour space. The collinear singularities are embodied in process-independent splitting matrices that depend on the momenta, flavours, spins and colours of the collinear partons. We give the general structure of the infrared and ultraviolet divergences of the one-loop splitting matrices. We also present explicit one-loop results for the triple collinear splitting, $q \to q {\bar Q} Q$, of a quark and a quark--antiquark pair of different flavours. The one-loop triple collinear splitting is one of the ingredients that can be used to compute the evolution of parton distributions at the next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD perturbation theory.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2002

The Dipole Formalism for Next-to-Leading Order QCD Calculations with Massive Partons

The dipole subtraction method for calculating next-to-leading order corrections in QCD was originally only formulated for massless partons. In this paper we extend its definition to include massive partons, namely quarks, squarks and gluinos. We pay particular attention to the quasi-collinear region, which gives rise to terms that are enhanced by logarithms of the parton masses, M. By ensuring that our subtraction cross section matches the exact real cross section in all quasi-collinear regions we achieve uniform convergence both for hard scales Q ~= M and Q >> M. Moreover, taking the masses to zero, we exactly reproduce the previously-calculated massless results. We give all the analytical formulae necessary to construct a numerical program to evaluate the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to arbitrary observables in an arbitrary process.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2000

One-loop Singular Behaviour of QCD and SUSY QCD Amplitudes with Massive Partons

We discuss the structure of infrared and ultraviolet singularities in on-shell QCD and supersymmetric QCD amplitudes at one-loop order. Previous results, valid for massless partons, are extended to the case of massive partons. Using dimensional regularization, we present a general factorization formula that controls both the singular epsilon-poles and the logarithmic contributions that become singular for vanishing masses. We introduce generalized Altarelli--Parisi splitting functions and discuss their relations with the singular terms in the amplitudes. The dependence on the regularization scheme is also considered.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2000

Aspects of QCD, from the Tevatron to the LHC

This contribution presents a selection of the topics (parton densities, fixed-order calculations, parton showers, soft-gluon resummation) discussed in my introductory lectures at the Workshop and includes a pedagogical overview of the corresponding theoretical tools.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1999

The Forward-Backward Asymmetry in NNLO QCD

We have recently calculated the second-order QCD corrections to the forward-backward asymmetry in e+e- annihilation (hep-ph/9905424). Here we recall the results and compare them to others in the literature.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1999

Corrections of Order α_s^2 to the Forward-Backward Asymmetry

We calculate the second-order QCD corrections to the forward-backward asymmetry in $e^+e^-$ annihilation. Using the quark axis definition, we do not agree with either existing calculation, but the difference relative to one of them is small and understood. In particular, we point out that the forward-backward asymmetry of massive quarks is enhanced by logarithms of the quark mass. This implies that the forward-backward asymmetry of massless quarks is not computable in QCD perturbation theory and affected by non-power-suppressed corrections coming from the non-perturbative fragmentation functions. We also calculate the second-order corrections using the experimentally-preferred thrust axis definition for the first time.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1998

The Singular Behaviour of QCD Amplitudes at Two-loop Order

We discuss the structure of infrared singularities in on-shell QCD amplitudes at two-loop order. We present a general factorization formula that controls all the $\ep$-poles of the dimensionally regularized amplitudes. The dependence on the regularization scheme is considered and the coefficients of the $1/\ep^4, 1/\ep^3$ and $1/\ep^2$ poles are explicitly given in the most general case. The remaining single-pole contributions are also explicitly evaluated in the case of amplitudes with a $q{\bar q}$ pair.

hep-ph↗