arXiv subjects

Yannick Ulrich

Publications and source records attributed to Yannick Ulrich.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Higgs Boson Pair Production via Gluon Fusion: Higher-Order Corrections and Theoretical Uncertainties

In this contribution, the higher-order QCD and electroweak corrections to Standard Model Higgs boson pair production via the gluon-fusion mechanism, $gg\to hh$, are summarized and the different sources of theoretical uncertainty are assessed. The discussion includes finite top quark mass effects, matching to parton showers, approximate NNLO and N$^3$LO QCD corrections, NLO electroweak effects, and uncertainties associated with the top quark mass scheme and perturbative scale choices. In addition, we provide an updated state-of-the-art recommendation for the inclusive gluon-fusion Higgs boson pair production cross section and the corresponding Higgs boson pair invariant-mass distribution.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Low-energy $e^+\,e^-\to\gamma\,\gamma$ at NNLO in QED

We present a fully differential computation of $e^+\,e^-\to\gamma\,\gamma$ at next-to-next-to-leading order in QED. The process has been implemented into McMule, completing its set of next-to-next-to-leading-order calculations for the most important $2 \to 2$ processes. The results allow for generic applications to electron-positron colliders with centre-of-mass energies up to a few GeV, particularly for luminosity measurements.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Disperon QED

We present disperon QED, a method to deal with data input in loop processes in Monte Carlo codes. It relies on dispersion relations, automated tools such as OpenLoops, effective field theory methods and a threshold subtraction. We motivate this method and apply it to the process $ee\to\pi\pi$ in McMule to deal with hadronic vacuum polarisation insertions in two-loop contributions as well as the vector form factor of the pion within the form-factor scalar QED approximation. The generality of this method for more complicated processes is emphasised.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Towards testing $(g-2)_\tau$ in $e^+e^-\to\tau^+\tau^-$: radiative corrections and projections for Belle II

The arguably most promising avenue towards testing physics beyond the Standard Model in the anomalous magnetic moment of the $\tau$ proceeds via suitably constructed asymmetries in $e^+e^-\to\tau^+\tau^-$ in the presence of a polarized electron beam. Such a program, as could be realized at Belle II assuming a polarization upgrade of the SuperKEKB $e^+e^-$ collider, crucially relies on a careful consideration of radiative corrections. In this work, we present the complete one-loop result for the fully polarized $e^+e^-\to\tau^+\tau^-$ process and its implementation in the Monte-Carlo integrator McMule. As an application, we discuss projections relevant for measurements at Belle II, both with and without electron polarization, and outline the necessary steps for a generalization to next-to-next-to-leading order.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

McMule -- a Monte Carlo generator for low energy processes

McMule, a Monte Carlo for MUons and other LEptons, implements many major QED processes at NNLO (eg. $ee\to ee$, $e\mu\to e\mu$, $ee\to\mu\mu$, $\ell p\to\ell p$, $\mu\to\nu\bar\nu e$) including effects from the lepton masses, making it suitable for predictions for low-energy experiments such as MUonE, CMD-III, PRad, or MUSE. Recently, McMule gained the ability to generate events at NNLO rather than just pre-defined differential distributions. To avoid negative event weights, it employs cellular resampling directly as part of the generation step which further reduces the fraction of negative weights.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

The structure of quark mass corrections in the $gg \rightarrow HH$ amplitude at high-energy

The leading and next-to-leading order QCD predictions for Higgs boson pair production at hadron colliders suffer from a significant mass renormalisation scheme uncertainty related to the choice of the top-quark mass. The functional dependence of the result on the value of the intermediate quark mass can be understood in the high-energy limit using the Method of Regions and the tools of Soft-Collinear Effective Theory. In this work, we study the origin of the sizeable logarithmic mass corrections in the $gg \to HH$ amplitudes at leading and next-to-leading power in the limit $s,|t|,|u| \gg m_t^2 \gg m_H^2$. We argue that the mass corrections follow a predictable factorised pattern that can be exploited to simplify their computation. We present results for the leading power leading logarithmic corrections, our analysis leads to a significant reduction in the theoretical uncertainty of the double Higgs production amplitudes at high-energy due to the top-quark mass scheme.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Radiative corrections and Monte Carlo tools for low-energy hadronic cross sections in $e^+ e^-$ collisions

We present the results of Phase I of an ongoing review of Monte Carlo tools relevant for low-energy hadronic cross sections. This includes a detailed comparison of Monte Carlo codes for electron-positron scattering into a muon pair, pion pair, and electron pair, for scan and radiative-return experiments. After discussing the various approaches that are used and effects that are included, we show differential cross sections obtained with AfkQed, BabaYaga@NLO, KKMC, MCGPJ, McMule, Phokhara, and Sherpa, for scenarios that are inspired by experiments providing input for the dispersive evaluation of the hadronic vacuum polarisation.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Multi-Generational Black Hole Population Analysis with an Astrophysically Informed Mass Function

We analyze the population statistics of black holes in the LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA GWTC-3 catalog using a parametric mass function derived from simulations of massive stars experiencing pulsational pair-instability supernovae (PPISN). Our formalism enables us to separate the black hole mass function into sub-populations corresponding to mergers between objects formed via different astrophysical pathways, allowing us to infer the properties of black holes formed from stellar collapse and black holes formed via prior mergers separately. Applying this formalism, we find that this model fits the data better than the powerlaw+peak model with Bayes factor $ 9.7\pm0.1$. We measure the location of the lower edge of the upper black hole mass gap to be $M_{\rm BHMG}=84.05_{-12.88}^{+17.19}{\rm M}_{\odot}$, providing evidence that the $35{\rm M}_{\odot}$ Gaussian peak detected in the data using other models is not associated with the PPISN pile-up predicted to precede this gap. Incorporating spin, we find that the normalized spins of stellar remnant black holes are close to zero while those of higher generation black holes tend to larger values. All of these results are in accordance with the predictions of stellar structure theory and black hole merger scenarios. Finally, we combine our mass function with the spectral siren method for measuring the Hubble constant to find $H_0=36.19_{-10.91}^{17.50}$ km/s/Mpc and discuss potential explanations of this low value. Our results demonstrate how astrophysically-informed mass functions can facilitate the interpretation of gravitational wave catalog data to provide information about black hole formation and cosmology. Future data releases will improve the precision of our measurements.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

QED at NNLO and beyond for precision experiments

Low-energy experiments allow for some of the most precise measurements in particle physics, such as $g-2$. To make the most of these experiments, theory needs to match the experimental precision. Over the last decade, this meant that even in QED next-to-next-to-leading order calculations (or even more in some cases) became necessary. McMule (Monte Carlo for MUons and other LEptons) is a framework that we have developed to obtain NNLO predictions for a number of processes, such as $e\mu \to e\mu$, $ee\to ee$, and $\mu\to e\nu\bar\nu$. I will discuss some of the challenges faced when dealing with QED corrections and some possible solutions we have implemented in McMule, namely the subtraction scheme FKS$^\ell$, massification, and next-to-soft stabilisation. I will also demonstrate how to calculate the three-loop massification constant that will be required at N$^3$LO.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Radiative Corrections: From Medium to High Energy Experiments

Radiative corrections are crucial for modern high-precision physics experiments, and are an area of active research in the experimental and theoretical community. Here we provide an overview of the state of the field of radiative corrections with a focus on several topics: lepton-proton scattering, QED corrections in deep-inelastic scattering, and in radiative light-hadron decays. Particular emphasis is placed on the two-photon exchange, believed to be responsible for the proton form-factor discrepancy, and associated Monte-Carlo codes. We encourage the community to continue developing theoretical techniques to treat radiative corrections, and perform experimental tests of these corrections.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Lepton pair production at NNLO in QED with EW effects

We present a fully differential calculation of lepton pair production, taking into account the dominant next-to-next-to-leading order QED corrections as well as next-to-leading order electroweak and polarisation effects. We include all lepton masses, hard photon emission, as well as non-perturbative hadronic corrections. The corresponding matrix elements are implemented in the Monte Carlo framework McMule. In order to obtain a numerically stable implementation, we extend next-to-soft stabilisation, a universal technique based on a next-to-leading-power expansion, to calculations with polarised leptons. As an example, we show results tailored to the Belle II detector with the current setup as well as a potential future configuration that includes polarised beams.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Universal structure of radiative QED amplitudes at one loop

We present two novel results about the universal structure of radiative QED amplitudes in the soft and in the collinear limit. On the one hand, we extend the well-known Low-Burnett-Kroll theorem to the one-loop level and give the explicit relation between the radiative and non-radiative amplitude at subleading power in the soft limit. On the other hand, we consider a factorisation formula at leading power in the limit where the emitted photon becomes collinear to a light fermion and provide the corresponding one-loop splitting function. In addition to being interesting in their own right these findings are particularly relevant in the context of fully-differential higher-order QED calculations. One of the main challenges in this regard is the numerical stability of radiative contributions in the soft and collinear regions. The results presented here allow for a stabilisation of real-virtual amplitudes in these delicate phase-space regions by switching to the corresponding approximation without the need of explicit computations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

M{\o}ller scattering at NNLO

We present a calculation of the full set of next-to-next-to-leading-order QED corrections to unpolarised M{\o}ller scattering. This encompasses photonic, leptonic, and non-perturbative hadronic corrections and includes electron mass effects as well as hard photon radiation. The corresponding matrix elements are implemented in the Monte Carlo framework McMule allowing for the computation of fully-differential observables. As a first application we show results tailored to the kinematics and detector design of the PRad II experiment where a high-precision theory prediction for M{\o}ller scattering is required to achieve the targeted precision. We observe that the corrections become essential to reliably calculate the corresponding differential distributions especially in regions where the leading-order contribution is absent.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Bhabha scattering at NNLO with next-to-soft stabilisation

A critical subject in fully differential QED calculations originates from numerical instabilities due to small fermion masses that act as regulators of collinear singularities. At next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) a major challenge is therefore to find a stable implementation of numerically delicate real-virtual matrix elements. In the case of Bhabha scattering this has so far prevented the development of a fixed-order Monte Carlo at NNLO accuracy. In this paper we present a new method for stabilising the real-virtual matrix element. It is based on the expansion for soft photon energies including the non-universal subleading term calculated with the method of regions. We have applied this method to Bhabha scattering to obtain a stable and efficient implementation within the McMule framework. We therefore present for the first time fully differential results for the photonic NNLO corrections to Bhabha scattering.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

McMule -- QED Corrections for Low-Energy Experiments

We present McMule, a unified framework for the calculation of NLO and NNLO corrections to many processes in QED with massive fermions. This easily extendable program allows users to calculate an arbitrary observable for any of the processes implemented. These include various lepton decays as well as certain low-energy scattering experiments such as $e\mu\to e\mu$ and $\ell p\to\ell p$ that can be measured to high enough a precision to warrant QED corrections. As part of our discussion, we will present a pedagogical introduction to how these calculations are performed, focusing on technical aspects supplemented with examples. Our goal is to provide a useful introduction for those entering the field, covering all aspects relevant for the practitioner.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2018

Correlating Lepton Flavour (Universality) Violation in $B$ Decays with $μ\to eγ$ using Leptoquarks

Motivated by the measurements of $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ transitions, including $R(K)$ and $R(K^*)$, we examine lepton flavour (universality) violation in $B$ decays and its connections to $μ\to eγ$ in generic leptoquark models. Considering all 10 representations of scalar and vector leptoquarks under the Standard Model gauge group we compute the tree-level matching for semileptonic $b$-quark operators as well as their loop effects in $\ell\to\ell^\primeγ$. In our phenomenological analysis we correlate $R(K)$, $R(K^*)$ and the other $b\to sμ^+μ^-$ data to $μ\to eγ$ and $b\to sμe$ transitions for the three leptoquark representations that generate left-handed currents in $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ transitions and, therefore, provide a good fit to data. We find that while new physics contributions to muons are required by the global fit, also couplings to electrons can be sizeable without violating the stringent bounds from $μ\to eγ$. In fact, if the effect in electrons in $b\to s\ell^+\ell^-$ has opposite sign than the effect in muons the bound from $μ\to eγ$ can always be avoided. However, unavoidable effects in $b\to sμe$ transitions (i.e. $B_s\toμe$, $B\to Kμe$, etc.) appear which are within the reach of LHCb and BELLE II.

hep-ph↗