arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to T. Ježo.
This report presents a short summary of the activities of the "Standard Model" working group for the "Physics at TeV Colliders" workshop (Les Houches, France, 12-30 June, 2023).
Motivated by the wide range of kinematics covered by current and planned deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) facilities, we revisit the formalism, practical implementation, and numerical impact of target mass corrections (TMCs) for DIS on unpolarized nuclear targets. An important aspect is that we only use nuclear and later partonic degrees of freedom, carefully avoiding a picture of the nucleus in terms of nucleons. After establishing that formulae used for individual nucleon targets $(p,n)$, derived in the Operator Product Expansion (OPE) formalism, are indeed applicable to nuclear targets, we rewrite expressions for nuclear TMCs in terms of \mbox{re-scaled} (or averaged) kinematic variables. As a consequence, we find a representation for nuclear TMCs that is approximately independent of the nuclear target. We go on to construct a single-parameter fit for all nuclear targets that is in good numerical agreement with full computations of TMCs. We discuss in detail qualitative and quantitative differences between nuclear TMCs built in the OPE and the parton model formalisms, as well as give numerical predictions for current and future facilities.
Mass-dependent quark contributions are of great importance to DIS processes. The simplified-ACOT-scheme includes these effects over a wide range of momentum transfers up to next-to-leading order in QCD. In recent years an improvement in the case of neutral current DIS has been achieved by using zero-mass contributions up to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) with massive phase-space constraints. In this work, we extend this approach to the case of charged current DIS and provide an implementation in the open-source code APFEL++. The increased precision will be valuable for ongoing and future neutrino programs, the Electron-Ion-Collider and the studies of partonic substructure of hadrons and nuclei. A highly efficient implementation using gridding techniques extends the applicability of the code to the determination of parton distribution functions (PDFs).
We discuss the foundation for a new global nCTEQ nuclear PDF analysis, combining a number of our previous analyses into one consistent framework with updates to the underlying theoretical treatment as well as the addition of new available data. In particular, the new global release will be the first nCTEQ release containing neutrino DIS scattering data in a consistent manner together with JLab high-x DIS data and new LHC p-Pb data. These additions will improve the data-driven description of nuclear PDFs in new regions, especially the strange quark and the gluon PDF at low-x.
The sensitivity of particle-level fiducial cross section measurements from ATLAS, CMS and LHCb to a leptophobic top-colour model is studied. The model has previously been the subject of resonance searches. Here we compare it directly to state-of-the-art predictions for Standard Model top quark production and also take into account next-to-leading order predictions for the new physics signal. We make use of the CONTUR framework to evaluate the sensitivity of the current measurements, first under the default CONTUR assumption that the measurement and the SM exactly coincide, and then using the full SM theory calculation for $t\bar{t}$ at next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-leading order as the background model. We derive exclusion limits, discuss the differences between these approaches, and compare to the limits from resonance searches by ATLAS and CMS.
In global analyses of nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDFs), neutrino deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) data have been argued to exhibit tensions with the data from charged-lepton DIS. Using the nCTEQ framework, we investigate these possible tensions both internally and with the data sets used in our recent nPDF analysis nCTEQ15WZSIH. We take into account nuclear effects in the calculation of the deuteron structure function $F_2^D$ using the CJ15 analysis. The resulting nPDF fit, nCTEQ15WZSIHdeut, serves as the basis for our comparison with inclusive neutrino DIS and charm dimuon production data. Using $χ^2$ hypothesis testing, we confirm evidence of tensions with these data and study the impact of the proton PDF baseline as well as the treatment of data correlation and normalization uncertainties. We identify the experimental data and kinematic regions that generate the tensions and present several possible approaches how a consistent global analysis with neutrino data can be performed. We show that the tension can be relieved using a kinematic cut at low $x$ ($x>0.1$) and also investigate a possibility of managing the tensions by using uncorrelated systematic errors. Finally, we present a different approach identifying a subset of neutrino data which leads to a consistent global analysis without any additional cuts. Understanding these tensions between the neutrino and charged-lepton DIS data is important not only for a better flavor separation in global analyses of nuclear and proton PDFs, but also for neutrino physics and for searches for physics beyond the Standard Model.
We discuss Contur's different modes by studying a leptophobic Top-Colour (TC) model. We use, for the first time, higher order calculations for both the signal (NLO) and the background (up to NNLO). We compare the results between the different approaches of Contur. Furthermore, we compare these results to the ones coming from a direct search.
A clear understanding of nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDFs) plays a crucial role in the interpretation of collider data taken at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and in the near future at the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). Even with the recent inclusions of vector boson and light meson production data, the uncertainty of the gluon PDF remains substantial and limits the interpretation of heavy ion collision data. To obtain new constraints on the nuclear gluon PDF, we extend our recent nCTEQ15WZ+SIH analysis to inclusive quarkonium and open heavy-flavor meson production data from the LHC. This vast new data set covers a wide kinematic range and puts strong constraints on the nuclear gluon PDF down to $x\lesssim 10^{-5}$. The theoretical predictions for these data sets are obtained from a data-driven approach, where proton-proton data are used to determine effective scattering matrix elements. This approach is validated with detailed comparisons to existing next-to-leading order (NLO) calculations in non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) for quarkonia and in the general-mass variable-flavor-number scheme (GMVFNS) for the open heavy-flavored mesons. In addition, the uncertainties from the data-driven approach are determined using the Hessian method and accounted for in the PDF fits. This extension of our previous analyses represents an important step toward the next generation of PDFs not only by including new data sets, but also by exploring new methods for future analyses.
Vector boson production and neutrino deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) data are crucial for constraining the strange quark parton distribution function (PDF) and more generally for flavor decomposition in PDF extractions. We extend the nCTEQ15 nuclear PDFs (nPDFs) by adding the recent $W$ and $Z$ production data from the LHC in a global nPDF fit. The new nPDF set, referred to as nCTEQ15WZ, is used as a starting point for a follow-up study in which we assess the compatibility of neutrino DIS data with charged lepton DIS data. Specifically, we re-analyze neutrino DIS data from NuTeV, Chorus, and CDHSW, as well as dimuon data from CCFR and NuTeV. To scrutinize the level of compatibility, different kinematic regions of the neutrino data are investigated. Fits to the neutrino data alone and a preliminary global fit are performed and compared to nCTEQ15WZ.
A precise knowledge of nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDFs) is -- among other things -- important for the unambiguous interpretation of hard process data taken in pA and AA collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The available fixed target data for deep inelastic scattering (DIS) and Drell-Yan (DY) lepton pair production mainly constrain the light quark distributions. It is hence crucial to include more and more collider data in global analyses of nPDFs in order to better pin down the different parton flavors, in particular the gluon distribution at small x. To help constrain the nuclear gluon PDF, we extend the nCTEQ15 analysis by including single inclusive hadron (SIH) production data from RHIC (PHENIX and STAR) and LHC (ALICE). In addition to the DIS, DY and SIH data sets, we will also include LHC W/Z production data. As the SIH calculation is dependent on hadronic fragmentation functions (FFs), we use a variety of FFs available in the literature to properly estimate this source of uncertainty. We study the impact of these data on the PDFs, and compare with both the nCTEQ15 and nCTEQ15WZ sets. The calculations are performed using a new implementation of the nCTEQ code (nCTEQ++) including a modified version of INCNLO which allows faster calculations using pre-computed grids. The extension of the nCTEQ15 analysis to include the SIH data represents an important step toward the next generation of PDFs.
We use the nCTEQ analysis framework to investigate nuclear Parton Distribution Functions (nPDFs) in the region of large x and intermediate-to-low $Q$, with special attention to recent JLab Deep Inelastic Scattering data on nuclear targets. This data lies in a region which is often excluded by $W$ and $Q$ cuts in global nPDF analyses. As we relax these cuts, we enter a new kinematic region, which requires new phenomenology. In particular, we study the impact of i) target mass corrections, ii) higher twist corrections, iii) deuteron corrections, and iv) the shape of the nuclear PDF parametrization at large-$x$ close to one. Using the above tools, we produce a new nPDF set (named nCTEQ15HIX) which yields a good description of the new JLab data in this challenging kinematic region, and displays reduced uncertainties at large $x$, in particular for up and down quark flavors.
The nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDFs) of gluons are known to be difficult to determine with fits of deep inelastic scattering (DIS) and Drell-Yan (DY) data alone. Therefore, the nCTEQ15 analysis of nuclear PDFs added inclusive neutral pion production data from RHIC to help in constraining the gluon. In this analysis, we present a new global analysis of nuclear PDFs based on a much larger set of single inclusive light hadron data from RHIC and the LHC. Using our new nCTEQ code (nCTEQ++) with an optimized version of INCNLO we study systematically the limitations of the theory and the impact of the fragmentation function uncertainty.
We report on our re-calculation of electroweak top-quark pair production in Standard Model extensions with extra heavy neutral and charged spin-1 particles at the LHC with substantial improvements. In particular, we allow for flavour--non-diagonal $Z'$ couplings and take into account non-resonant production in the Standard Model and beyond. As in our previous work we include NLO QCD corrections and match to parton showers with the POWHEG method fully taking into account the Standard Model and new physics interference effects. We consider the Sequential Standard Model, the Topcolour model as well as the Third Family Hypercharge Model featuring non-flavour diagonal $Z'$ couplings which has been proposed to explain the anomalies in $B$ decays. Numerical results for $t\bar{t}$ cross sections at hadron colliders with $\sqrt{s}$ of up to 100 TeV are presented. We also investigate the numerical impact of the new non-resonant contributions.
The extraction of the strange quark parton distribution function (PDF) poses a long-standing puzzle. Measurements from neutrino-nucleus deep inelastic scattering (DIS) experiments suggest the strange quark is suppressed compared to the light sea quarks, while recent studies of W/Z boson production at the LHC imply a larger strange component at small x values. As the parton flavor determination in the proton depends on nuclear corrections, e.g. from heavy-target DIS, LHC heavy ion measurements can provide a distinct perspective to help clarify this situation. In this investigation we extend the nCTEQ15 nPDFs to study the impact of the LHC proton-lead W/Z production data on both the flavor differentiation and nuclear corrections. This complementary data set provides new insights on both the LHC W/Z proton analyses and the neutrino-nucleus DIS data. We identify these new nPDFs as nCTEQ15WZ. Our calculations are performed using a new implementation of the nCTEQ code (nCTEQ++) based on C++ which enables us to easily interface to external programs such as HOPPET, APPLgrid and MCFM. Our results indicate that, as suggested by the proton data, the small x nuclear strange sea appears larger than previously expected, even when the normalization of the W/Z data is accommodated in the fit. Extending the nCTEQ15 analysis to include LHC W/Z data represents an important step as we advance toward the next generation of nPDFs.
This Report summarizes the proceedings of the 2019 Les Houches workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders. Session 1 dealt with (I) new developments for high precision Standard Model calculations, (II) the sensitivity of parton distribution functions to the experimental inputs, (III) new developments in jet substructure techniques and a detailed examination of gluon fragmentation at the LHC, (IV) issues in the theoretical description of the production of Standard Model Higgs bosons and how to relate experimental measurements, and (V) Monte Carlo event generator studies relating to PDF evolution and comparisons of important processes at the LHC.
Extraction of the strange quark PDF is a long-standing puzzle. We use the nCTEQ nPDFs with uncertainties to study the impact of the LHC W/Z production data on both the flavor differentiation and nuclear corrections; this complements the information from neutrino-DIS data. As the proton flavor determination is dependent on nuclear corrections (from heavy target DIS, for example), LHC heavy ion measurements can also help improve proton PDFs. We introduce a new implementation of the nCTEQ code (nCTEQ++) based on C++ which has a modular strucure and enables us to easily integrate programs such as HOPPET, APPLgrid, and MCFM. Using ApplGrids generated from MCFM, we use nCTEQ++ to perform a preliminary fit including the pPb LHC W/Z vector boson data.
A wide range of models beyond the Standard Model predict charged and neutral resonances, generically called $W'$- and $Z'$-bosons, respectively. In this paper we study the impact of such resonances on the deep inelastic scattering of ultra-high energy neutrinos as well as on the resonant charged current $\barν_e e^-$ scattering (Glashow resonance). We find that the effects of such resonances can not be observed with the Pierre Auger Observatory or any foreseeable upgrade of it.
The 2011 Les Houches workshop was the first to confront LHC data. In the two years since the previous workshop there have been significant advances in both soft and hard QCD, particularly in the areas of multi-leg NLO calculations, the inclusion of those NLO calculations into parton shower Monte Carlos, and the tuning of the non-perturbative parameters of those Monte Carlos. These proceedings describe the theoretical advances that have taken place, the impact of the early LHC data, and the areas for future development.