arXiv subjects

Thomas Becher

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Becher.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Factorization and N^3LL_p+NNLO Predictions for the Higgs Cross Section with a Jet Veto

We have recently derived a factorization formula for the Higgs-boson production cross section in the presence of a jet veto, which allows for a systematic resummation of large Sudakov logarithms of the form alpha_s^n ln^m(p_T^veto/m_H), along with the large virtual corrections known to affect also the total cross section. Here we determine the ingredients entering this formula at two-loop accuracy. Specifically, we compute the dependence on the jet-radius parameter R, which is encoded in the two-loop coefficient of the collinear anomaly, by means of a direct, fully analytic calculation in the framework of soft-collinear effective theory. We confirm the result obtained by Banfi et al. from a related calculation in QCD, and demonstrate that factorization-breaking, soft-collinear mixing effects do not arise at leading power in p_T^veto/m_H, even for R=O(1). In addition, we extract the two-loop collinear beam functions numerically. We present detailed numerical predictions for the jet-veto cross section with partial next-to-next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy, matched to the next-to-next-to-leading order cross section in fixed-order perturbation theory. The only missing ingredients at this level of accuracy are the three-loop anomaly coefficient and the four-loop cusp anomalous dimension, whose numerical effects we estimate to be small.

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arXiv2013

Electroweak Corrections at High Energies

We present a survey of the most abundant processes at the LHC for sensitivity to electroweak corrections at \sqrt{s} = 8, 14, 33, and 100 TeV proton-proton collision energies. The processes studied are pp -> dijet, inclusive W and Z, W/Z+jets, and WW. In each case we compare the experimental uncertainty in the highest kinematic regions of interest with the relative magnitude of electroweak corrections and fixed-order α_S calculations.

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arXiv2013

Precision direct photon and W-boson spectra at high p_T and comparison to LHC data

The differential p_T spectrum for vector boson production is computed at next-to-leading fixed order and including the resummation of threshold logarithms at next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy. A comparison is made to ATLAS data on direct photon and W production at high transverse momentum p_T, finding excellent agreement. The resummation is achieved by factorizing contributions associated with different scales using Soft-Collinear Effective Theory. Each part is then calculated perturbatively and the individual contributions are combined using renormalization group methods. A key advantage of the effective theory framework is that it indicates a set of natural scale choices, in contrast to the fixed-order calculation. Resummation of logarithms of ratios of these scales leads to better agreement with data and reduced theoretical uncertainties.

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arXiv2013

Electroweak Sudakov effects in W, Z and gamma production at large transverse momentum

We study electroweak Sudakov effects in single W, Z and gamma production at large transverse momentum using Soft Collinear Effective Theory. We present a factorized form of the cross section near the partonic threshold with both QCD and electroweak effects included and compute the electroweak corrections arising at different scales. We analyze their size relative to the QCD corrections as well as the impact of strong-electroweak mixing terms. Numerical results for the vector-boson cross sections at the Large Hadron Collider are presented.

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arXiv2012

NNLL Resummation for Jet Broadening

The resummation for the event-shape variable jet broadening is extended to next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy by computing the relevant jet and soft functions at one-loop order and the collinear anomaly to two-loop accuracy. The anomaly coefficient is extracted from the soft function and expressed in terms of polylogarithmic as well as elliptic functions. With our results, the uncertainty on jet-broadening distributions is reduced significantly, which should allow for a precise determination of the strong coupling constant from the existing experimental data and provide a consistency check on the extraction of alpha_s from higher-log resummations of thrust.

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arXiv2012

Massive Boson Production at Small q_T in Soft-Collinear Effective Theory

We study the differential cross sections for electroweak gauge-boson and Higgs production at small and very small transverse-momentum q_T. Large logarithms are resummed using soft-collinear effective theory. The collinear anomaly generates a non-perturbative scale q_*, which protects the processes from receiving large long-distance hadronic contributions. A numerical comparison of our predictions with data on the transverse-momentum distribution in Z-boson production at the Tevatron and LHC is given.

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arXiv2012

Factorization and NNLL Resummation for Higgs Production with a Jet Veto

Using methods of effective field theory, we derive the first all-order factorization theorem for the Higgs-boson production cross section with a jet veto, imposed by means of a standard sequential recombination jet algorithm. Like in the case of small-q_T resummation in Drell-Yan and Higgs production, the factorization is affected by a collinear anomaly. Our analysis provides the basis for a systematic resummation of large logarithms log(m_H/p_T^veto) beyond leading-logarithmic order. Specifically, we present predictions for the resummed jet-veto cross section and efficiency at next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic order. Our results have important implications for Higgs-boson searches at the LHC, where a jet veto is required to suppress background events.

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arXiv2012

Direct photon production with effective field theory

The production of hard photons in hadronic collisions is studied using Soft-Collinear Effective Theory (SCET). This is the first application of SCET to a physical, observable cross section involving energetic partons in more than two directions. A factorization formula is derived which involves a non-trivial interplay of the angular dependence in the hard and soft functions, both quark and gluon jet functions, and multiple partonic channels. The relevant hard, jet and soft functions are computed to one loop and their anomalous dimensions are determined to three loops. The final resummed inclusive direct photon distribution is valid to next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic order (NNLL), one order beyond previous work. The result is improved by including non-logarithmic terms and photon isolation cuts through matching, and compared to Tevatron data and to fixed order results at the Tevatron and the LHC. The resummed cross section has a significantly smaller theoretical uncertainty than the next-to-leading fixed-order result, particularly at high transverse momentum.

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arXiv2012

NNLO soft function for electroweak boson production at large transverse momentum

The soft function relevant for the production of an electroweak boson (photon, W, Z or H) with large transverse momentum at a hadron collider is computed at next-to-next-to-leading order. This is the first two-loop computation of a soft function involving three light-cone directions. With the result, the threshold resummation for these processes can now be performed at next-to-next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy.

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arXiv2011

Analytic Regularization in Soft-Collinear Effective Theory

In high-energy processes which are sensitive to small transverse momenta, individual contributions from collinear and soft momentum regions are not separately well-defined in dimensional regularization. A simple possibility to solve this problem is to introduce additional analytic regulators. We point out that in massless theories the unregularized singularities only appear in real-emission diagrams and that the additional regulators can be introduced in such a way that gauge invariance and the factorized eikonal structure of soft and collinear emissions is maintained. This simplifies factorization proofs and implies, at least in the massless case, that the structure of Soft-Collinear Effective Theory remains completely unchanged by the presence of the additional regulators. Our formalism also provides a simple operator definition of transverse parton distribution functions.

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arXiv2011

Electroweak Gauge-Boson Production at Small q_T: Infrared Safety from the Collinear Anomaly

Using methods from effective field theory, we develop a novel, systematic framework for the calculation of the cross sections for electroweak gauge-boson production at small and very small transverse momentum q_T, in which large logarithms of the scale ratio M_V/q_T are resummed to all orders. These cross sections receive logarithmically enhanced corrections from two sources: the running of the hard matching coefficient and the collinear factorization anomaly. The anomaly leads to the dynamical generation of a non-perturbative scale q_* ~ M_V e^{-const/α_s(M_V)}, which protects the processes from receiving large long-distance hadronic contributions. Expanding the cross sections in either α_s or q_T generates strongly divergent series, which must be resummed. As a by-product, we obtain an explicit non-perturbative expression for the intercept of the cross sections at q_T=0, including the normalization and first-order α_s(q_*) correction. We perform a detailed numerical comparison of our predictions with the available data on the transverse-momentum distribution in Z-boson production at the Tevatron and LHC.

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arXiv2011

Resummation for W and Z production at large pT

Soft-Collinear Effective theory is used to perform threshold resummation for W and Z production at large transverse momentum to next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy including matching to next-to-leading fixed-order results. The results agree very well with data from the Tevatron, and predictions are made for the high-pT spectra at the LHC. While the higher-log terms are of moderate size, their inclusion leads to a substantial reduction of the perturbative uncertainty. With these improvements, the PDF uncertainties now dominate the error on the predicted cross section.

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arXiv2011

Drell-Yan production at small q_T, transverse parton distributions and the collinear anomaly

Using methods from effective field theory, an exact all-order expression for the Drell-Yan cross section at small transverse momentum is derived directly in q_T space, in which all large logarithms are resummed. The anomalous dimensions and matching coefficients necessary for resummation at NNLL order are given explicitly. The precise relation between our result and the Collins-Soper-Sterman formula is discussed, and as a by-product the previously unknown three-loop coefficient A^(3) is obtained. The naive factorization of the cross section at small transverse momentum is broken by a collinear anomaly, which prevents a process-independent definition of x_T-dependent parton distribution functions. A factorization theorem is derived for the product of two such functions, in which the dependence on the hard momentum transfer is separated out. The remainder factors into a product of two functions of longitudinal momentum variables and x_T^2, whose renormalization-group evolution is derived and solved in closed form. The matching of these functions at small x_T onto standard parton distributions is calculated at O(alpha_s), while their anomalous dimensions are known to three loops.

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arXiv2011

Factorization and Resummation for Jet Broadening

Jet broadening is an event-shape variable probing the transverse momenta of particles inside jets. It has been measured precisely in e+e- annihilations and is used to extract the strong coupling constant. The factorization of the associated cross section at small values of the broadening is afflicted by a collinear anomaly. Based on an analysis of this anomaly, we present the first all-order expressions for jet-broadening distributions, which are free of large perturbative logarithms in the two-jet limit. Our formulae reproduce known results at next-to-leading logarithmic order but also extend to higher orders.

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arXiv2010

Updated Predictions for Higgs Production at the Tevatron and the LHC

We present updated predictions for the total cross section for Higgs boson production through gluon fusion at hadron colliders. In addition to renormalization-group improvement at next-to-next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy, we incorporate the two-loop electroweak corrections, which leads to the most precise predictions at present. Numerical results are given for Higgs masses between 115 GeV and 200 GeV at the Tevatron with \sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV and the LHC with \sqrt{s}=7-14 TeV.

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arXiv2010

The gluon jet function at two-loop order

The inclusive gluon jet function is evaluated at two-loop accuracy. This function is relevant for resummations of large perturbative logarithms in collider processes involving low-mass gluon jets. The jet function corresponds to the imaginary part of the gluon propagator in light-cone gauge, which is adopted for the calculation. In addition to the leading jet function, the power-suppressed two-gluon jet functions are given and their renormalization is discussed.

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arXiv2009

Infrared singularities of QCD amplitudes with massive partons

A formula for the two-loop infrared singularities of dimensionally regularized QCD scattering amplitudes with an arbitrary number of massive and massless legs is derived. The singularities are obtained from the solution of a renormalization-group equation, and factorization constraints on the relevant anomalous-dimension matrix are analyzed. The simplicity of the structure of the matrix relevant for massless partons does not carry over to the case with massive legs, where starting at two-loop order new color and momentum structures arise, which are not of the color-dipole form. The resulting two-loop three-parton correlations can be expressed in terms of two functions, for which some general properties are derived. This explains observations recently made by Mitov et al. in terms of symmetry arguments.

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arXiv2008

Origin of the Large Perturbative Corrections to Higgs Production at Hadron Colliders

The very large K-factor for Higgs-boson production at hadron colliders is shown to result from enhanced perturbative corrections of the form (C_Aπα_s)^n, which arise in the analytic continuation of the gluon form factor to time-like momentum transfer. These terms are resummed to all orders in perturbation theory using the renormalization group. After the resummation, the K-factor for the production of a light Higgs boson at the LHC is reduced to a value close to 1.3.

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