arXiv subjects

Tanishq Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to Tanishq Sharma.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

PineAPPLv1: fast and flexible theory predictions for present and future colliders

We present PineAPPLv1, a library designed to provide accurate and flexible interpolation tables of partonic cross sections that can be convolved with parton distribution functions (PDFs) and fragmentation functions (FFs) for the fast evaluation of high-energy physical observables. The core feature of the new release is the support of multiple convolutions involving initial- and final-state hadronic particles, with any polarisation, that are associated with PDFs and FFs. The library simultaneously supports polarised and unpolarised distributions that obey space-like or time-like evolution, and is developed for an arbitrary number of them, even if physical processes typically only require a few. Control of scale choices when more than one scale characterises a scattering process is also possible. We describe the technical details of the new representation of interpolation coefficients stored in the grid, and we demonstrate the capabilities of the library in a few phenomenological cases of interest. Specifically, we compute predictions for single-inclusive pion production in unpolarised and polarised proton-proton collisions and in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering. We show how, in each case, PDF, FF, and scale uncertainties compare to each other and highlight the potential of PineAPPL as an essential ingredient for precision physics at current and future colliders.

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arXiv2025

Towards next-gen parton distribution and fragmentation functions

The interest into parton distribution functions (PDFs) and fragmentation functions (FFs) in current high energy physics research is twofold. On the one hand, they are fundamental objects to conduct precision phenomenology studies, e.g. at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), to determine the Standard Model parameters and search for new physics. On the other hand, they are also a means to understand the inner structure and dynamics of hadrons, e.g. in regards to the proton spin decomposition at the future Electron Ion Collider (EIC). This thesis presents advancements in PDF and FF determinations contributing to upcoming releases by the NNPDF collaboration. For PDFs, three topics are addressed: (i) assessing the K-factor approximation versus exact NNLO calculations; (ii) evaluating the compatibility of new data with existing PDFs, accounting for all relevant theoretical and experimental uncertainties; and (iii) studying the impact of new data, with focus on processes sensitive to the gluon PDF: single-inclusive jet and di-jet production in proton-proton collisions and deep-inelastic scattering, and top-quark pair production in proton-proton collisions. For FFs, I extend the NNPDF framework through: (i) implementation of time-like evolution in EKO; (ii) extension of PineAPPL to handle multiple convolutions of PDFs and FFs, including the corresponding factorization scales and the polarization of the initial and final states; and (iii) development of a new code, vhf, for computing SIA and SIDIS cross sections. All of these developments are crucial to prepare the release of next-gen PDF and FF sets that will allow us to take advantage of the forthcoming LHC and EIC physics programs as much as possible.

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arXiv2025

Parton distributions confront LHC Run II data: a quantitative appraisal

We present a systematic comparison of theoretical predictions and various high-precision experimental measurements, specifically of differential cross sections performed by the LHC run II for Drell-Yan gauge boson, top-quark pair, single-inclusive jet and di-jet production, and by HERA for single-inclusive jet and di-jet production. Theoretical predictions are computed at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) accuracy in perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics. The most widely employed sets of Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs) are used, and PDF, strong coupling, and missing higher order uncertainties are taken into account. We quantitatively assess the predictive power of each PDF set and the contribution of the different sources of experimental and theoretical uncertainty to the agreement between data and predictions. We show that control over all of these aspects is crucial to precision physics studies, such as the determination of Standard Model parameters at the LHC.

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arXiv2025

NNPDFpol2.0: a global determination of polarised PDFs and their uncertainties at next-to-next-to-leading order

We present NNPDFpol2.0, a new set of collinear helicity parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton based on legacy measurements of structure functions in inclusive neutral-current longitudinally polarised deep-inelastic scattering (DIS), and of W -boson, single-inclusive, and di-jet production asymmetries in longitudinally polarised proton-proton collisions. The determination is accurate to next-to-next-to-leading order in the strong coupling, and includes heavy quark mass corrections in the analysis of DIS data. Uncertainties due to missing higher-order corrections are systematically incorporated by means of a covariance matrix determined by scale variations. NNPDFpol2.0 is based on a machine learning methodology, that makes use of Monte Carlo sampling for the representation of uncertainties into PDFs, of a neural network for the parametrisation of PDFs, of stochastic gradient descent for the optimisation of PDF parameters, and of hyperoptimisation for the selection of the best fitting model. We study the impact on PDFs of higher-order corrections, of the positivity constraint, and of the data. We demonstrate two phenomenological applications of NNPDFpol2.0, specifically the determination of the proton spin fraction carried by gluons and quarks, and of theoretical predictions for single-hadron production in longitudinally polarised DIS and proton-proton collisions.

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arXiv2024

Exact NNLO corrections vs K-factors in PDF fits

Parton distribution functions (PDFs) often include datasets corresponding to processes whereby the theoretical predictions at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in peturbative QCD have to be approximated, and this approximation may be performed using K-factors, which in turn depend on the PDF set used to compute them. In this study, we investigate the impact of K-factors produced with various PDF sets, namely CT18, MSHT20 and NNPDF4.0 on (differential) cross sections of top pair production at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Furthermore, we perform a new fit (otherwise analogous to NNPDF4.0 with MHOUs) where the exact NNLO corrections are used in the fitting procedure and compare the K-factors obtained from this fit with those obtained from the above mentioned PDF sets. We find good agreement amongst K-factors obtained from these different PDF sets.

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