Showing papers on "Parton published in 2016"

New parton distribution functions from a global analysis of quantum chromodynamics

Abstract: Parton distribution functions (PDFs) are crucial ingredients for the calculation of the relevant cross sections for various scattering processes at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Including data from several previous experiments, the authors find new PDFs, which will be important for the data analysis at the LHC Run-2.

nCTEQ15: Global analysis of nuclear parton distributions with uncertainties in the CTEQ framework

Abstract: We present the new nCTEQ15 set of nuclear parton distribution functions with uncertainties. This fit extends the CTEQ proton PDFs to include the nuclear dependence using data on nuclei all the way up to 208^Pb. The uncertainties are determined using the Hessian method with an optimal rescaling of the eigenvectors to accurately represent the uncertainties for the chosen tolerance criteria. In addition to the Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) and Drell-Yan (DY) processes, we also include inclusive pion production data from RHIC to help constrain the nuclear gluon PDF. Furthermore, we investigate the correlation of the data sets with specific nPDF flavor components, and asses the impact of individual experiments. We also provide comparisons of the nCTEQ15 set with recent fits from other groups.

How Bright is the Proton? A Precise Determination of the Photon Parton Distribution Function.

Abstract: It has become apparent in recent years that it is important, notably for a range of physics studies at the Large Hadron Collider, to have accurate knowledge on the distribution of photons in the proton. We show how the photon parton distribution function (PDF) can be determined in a model-independent manner, using electron-proton (ep) scattering data, in effect viewing the ep→e+X process as an electron scattering off the photon field of the proton. To this end, we consider an imaginary, beyond the Standard Model process with a flavor changing photon-lepton vertex. We write its cross section in two ways: one in terms of proton structure functions, the other in terms of a photon distribution. Requiring their equivalence yields the photon distribution as an integral over proton structure functions. As a result of the good precision of ep data, we constrain the photon PDF at the level of 1%-2% over a wide range of momentum fractions.

EPPS16: Nuclear parton distributions with LHC data

Abstract: We introduce a global analysis of collinearly factorized nuclear parton distribution functions (PDFs) including, for the first time, data constraints from LHC proton-lead collisions. In comparison to our previous analysis, EPS09, where data only from charged-lepton-nucleus deep inelastic scattering (DIS), Drell-Yan (DY) dilepton production in proton-nucleus collisions and inclusive pion production in deuteron-nucleus collisions were the input, we now increase the variety of data constraints to cover also neutrino-nucleus DIS and low-mass DY production in pion-nucleus collisions. The new LHC data significantly extend the kinematic reach of the data constraints. We now allow much more freedom for the flavour dependence of nuclear effects than in other currently available analyses. As a result, especially the uncertainty estimates are more objective flavour by flavour. The neutrino DIS plays a pivotal role in obtaining a mutually consistent behaviour for both up and down valence quarks, and the LHC dijet data clearly constrain gluons at large momentum fraction. Mainly for insufficient statistics, the pion-nucleus DY and heavy gauge boson production in proton-lead collisions impose less visible constraints. The outcome - a new set of next-to-leading order nuclear PDFs called EPPS16 - is made available for applications in high-energy nuclear collisions.

Constraints on large-$x$ parton distributions from new weak boson production and deep-inelastic scattering data

Abstract: Here, we present a new set of leading twist parton distribution functions, referred to as "CJ15", which take advantage of developments in the theoretical treatment of nuclear corrections as well as new data. The analysis includes for the first time data on the free neutron structure function from Jefferson Lab, and new high-precision charged lepton and W-boson asymmetry data from Fermilab, which significantly reduce the uncertainty on the d/u ratio at large values of x.

High-Precision Differential Predictions for Top-Quark Pairs at the LHC

Abstract: We present the first complete next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD predictions for differential distributions in the top-quark pair production process at the LHC. Our results are derived from a fully differential partonic Monte Carlo calculation with stable top quarks which involves no approximations beyond the fixed-order truncation of the perturbation series. The NNLO corrections improve the agreement between existing LHC measurements [V. Khachatryan et al. (CMS Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 75, 542 (2015)] and standard model predictions for the top-quark transverse momentum distribution, thus helping alleviate one long-standing discrepancy. The shape of the top-quark pair invariant mass distribution turns out to be stable with respect to radiative corrections beyond NLO which increases the value of this observable as a place to search for physics beyond the standard model. The results presented here provide essential input for parton distribution function fits, implementation of higher-order effects in Monte Carlo generators, as well as top-quark mass and strong coupling determination.

Gluon and Wilson loop TMDs for hadrons of spin ≤ 1

Abstract: In this paper we consider the parametrizations of gluon transverse momentum dependent (TMD) correlators in terms of TMD parton distribution functions (PDFs). These functions, referred to as TMDs, are defined as the Fourier transforms of hadronic matrix elements of nonlocal combinations of gluon fields. The nonlocality is bridged by gauge links, which have characteristic paths (future or past pointing), giving rise to a process dependence that breaks universality. For gluons, the specific correlator with one future and one past pointing gauge link is, in the limit of small x, related to a correlator of a single Wilson loop. We present the parametrization of Wilson loop correlators in terms of Wilson loop TMDs and discuss the relation between these functions and the small-x ‘dipole’ gluon TMDs. This analysis shows which gluon TMDs are leading or suppressed in the small-x limit. We discuss hadronic targets that are unpolarized, vector polarized (relevant for spin-1/2 and spin-1 hadrons), and tensor polarized (relevant for spin-1 hadrons). The latter are of interest for studies with a future Electron-Ion Collider with polarized deuterons.

Linearized Boltzmann transport model for jet propagation in the quark-gluon plasma: Heavy quark evolution

Abstract: A linearized Boltzmann transport (LBT) model coupled with hydrodynamical background is established to describe the evolution of jet shower partons and medium excitations in high energy heavy-ion collisions. We extend the LBT model to include both elastic and inelastic processes for light and heavy partons in the quark-gluon plasma. A hybrid model of fragmentation and coalescence is developed for the hadronization of heavy quarks. Within this framework, we investigate how heavy flavor observables depend on various ingredients, such as different energy loss and hadronization mechanisms, the momentum and temperature dependences of the transport coefficients, and the radial flow of the expanding fireball. Our model calculations show good descriptions of the D meson suppression and elliptic flow observed at the Larege Hadron Collider and the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider. The prediction for the Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 TeV is provided.

Three-Loop Corrections to the Soft Anomalous Dimension in Multileg Scattering.

Abstract: We present the three-loop result for the soft anomalous dimension governing long-distance singularities of multileg gauge-theory scattering amplitudes of massless partons. We compute all contributing webs involving semi-infinite Wilson lines at three loops and obtain the complete three-loop correction to the dipole formula. We find that nondipole corrections appear already for three colored partons, where the correction is a constant without kinematic dependence. Kinematic dependence appears only through conformally invariant cross ratios for four colored partons or more, and the result can be expressed in terms of single-valued harmonic polylogarithms of weight five. While the nondipole three-loop term does not vanish in two-particle collinear limits, its contribution to the splitting amplitude anomalous dimension reduces to a constant, and it depends only on the color charges of the collinear pair, thereby preserving strict collinear factorization properties. Finally, we verify that our result is consistent with expectations from the Regge limit.

Vector-Boson Fusion Higgs Production at Three Loops in QCD.

Abstract: We calculate the next-to-next-to-next-to-leading-order (N^{3}LO) QCD corrections to inclusive vector-boson fusion Higgs production at proton colliders, in the limit in which there is no color exchange between the hadronic systems associated with the two colliding protons. We also provide differential cross sections for the Higgs transverse momentum and rapidity distributions. We find that the corrections are at the 1‰-2‰ level, well within the scale uncertainty of the next-to-next-to-leading-order calculation. The associated scale uncertainty of the N^{3}LO calculation is typically found to be below the 2‰ level. We also consider theoretical uncertainties due to missing higher order parton distribution functions, and provide an estimate of their importance.

Evidence of Strong Proton Shape Fluctuations from Incoherent Diffraction.

Abstract: We show within the saturation framework that measurements of exclusive vector meson production at high energy provide evidence for strong geometric fluctuations of the proton. In comparison, the effect of saturation scale and color charge fluctuations is weak. This knowledge will allow detailed future measurements of the incoherent cross section to tightly constrain the fluctuating geometry of the proton as a function of the parton momentum fraction x.

Unpolarized transverse momentum dependent parton distribution and fragmentation functions at next-to-next-to-leading order

Abstract: The transverse momentum dependent parton distribution/fragmentation functions (TMDs) are essential in the factorization of a number of processes like Drell-Yan scattering, vector boson production, semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering, etc. We provide a comprehensive study of unpolarized TMDs at next-to-next-to-leading order, which includes an explicit calculation of these TMDs and an extraction of their matching coefficients onto their integrated analogues, for all flavor combinations. The obtained matching coefficients are important for any kind of phenomenology involving TMDs. In the present study each individual TMD is calculated without any reference to a specific process. We recover the known results for parton distribution functions and provide new results for the fragmentation functions. The results for the gluon transverse momentum dependent fragmentation functions are presented for the first time at one and two loops. We also discuss the structure of singularities of TMD operators and TMD matrix elements, crossing relations between TMD parton distribution functions and TMD fragmentation functions, and renormalization group equations. In addition, we consider the behavior of the matching coefficients at threshold and make a conjecture on their structure to all orders in perturbation theory.

NNLO QCD corrections to Higgs boson production at large transverse momentum

Abstract: We derive the second-order QCD corrections to the production of a Higgs boson recoiling against a parton with finite transverse momentum, working in the effective field theory in which the top quark contributions are integrated out. To account for quark mass effects, we supplement the effective field theory result by the full quark mass dependence at leading order. Our calculation is fully differential in the final state kinematics and includes the decay of the Higgs boson to a photon pair. It allows one to make next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO)-accurate theory predictions for Higgs-plus-jet final states and for the transverse momentum distribution of the Higgs boson, accounting for the experimental definition of the fiducial cross sections. The NNLO QCD corrections are found to be moderate and positive, they lead to a substantial reduction of the theory uncertainty on the predictions. We compare our results to 8 TeV LHC data from ATLAS and CMS. While the shape of the data is well-described for both experiments, we agree on the normalization only for CMS. By normalizing data and theory to the inclusive fiducial cross section for Higgs production, good agreement is found for both experiments, however at the expense of an increased theory uncertainty. We make predictions for Higgs production observables at the 13 TeV LHC, which are in good agreement with recent ATLAS data. At this energy, the leading order mass corrections to the effective field theory prediction become significant at large transverse momenta, and we discuss the resulting uncertainties on the predictions.

The pion: an enigma within the Standard Model

Abstract: Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) is the strongly interacting part of the Standard Model. It is supposed to describe all of nuclear physics; and yet, almost fifty years after the discovery of gluons and quarks, we are only just beginning to understand how QCD builds the basic bricks for nuclei: neutrons and protons, and the pions that bind them together. QCD is characterised by two emergent phenomena: confinement and dynamical chiral symmetry breaking (DCSB). They have far-reaching consequences, expressed with great force in the character of the pion; and pion properties, in turn, suggest that confinement and DCSB are intimately connected. Indeed, since the pion is both a Nambu- Goldstone boson and a quark-antiquark bound-state, it holds a unique position in Nature and, consequently, developing an understanding of its properties is critical to revealing some very basic features of the Standard Model. We describe experimental progress toward meeting this challenge that has been made using electromagnetic probes, highlighting both dramatic improvements in the precision of charged-pion form factor data that have been achieved in the past decade and new results on the neutral-pion transition form factor, both of which challenge existing notions of pion structure. We also provide a theoretical context for these empirical advances, which begins with an explanation of how DCSB works to guarantee that the pion is unnaturally light; but also, nevertheless, ensures that the pion is the best object to study in order to reveal the mechanisms that generate nearly all the mass of hadrons. In canvassing advances in these areas, our discussion unifies many aspects of pion structure and interactions, connecting the charged-pion elastic form factor, the neutral-pion transition form factor and the pion's leading-twist parton distribution amplitude. It also sketches novel ways in which experimental and theoretical studies of the charged-kaon electromagnetic form factor can provide significant contributions. Importantly, it appears that recent predictions for the large-Q 2 behaviour of the charged- pion form factor can be tested by experiments planned at the upgraded 12GeV Jefferson Laboratory. Those experiments will extend precise charged-pion form factor data up to momentum transfers that it now appears may be large enough to serve in validating factorisation theorems in QCD. If so, they may expose the transition between the nonperturbative and perturbative domains and thereby reach a goal that has driven hadro-particle physics for around thirty-five years.

Unpolarized Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distribution and Fragmentation Functions at next-to-next-to-leading order

Abstract: The transverse momentum dependent parton distribution/fragmentation functions (TMDs) are essential in the factorization of a number of processes like Drell-Yan scattering, vector boson production, semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering, etc. We provide a comprehensive study of unpolarized TMDs at next-to-next-to-leading order, which includes an explicit calculation of these TMDs and an extraction of their matching coefficients onto their integrated analogues, for all flavor combinations. The obtained matching coefficients are important for any kind of phenomenology involving TMDs. In the present study each individual TMD is calculated without any reference to a specific process. We recover the known results for parton distribution functions and provide new results for the fragmentation functions. The results for the gluon transverse momentum dependent fragmentation functions are presented for the first time at one and two loops. We also discuss the structure of singularities of TMD operators and TMD matrix elements, crossing relations between TMD parton distribution functions and TMD fragmentation functions, and renormalization group equations. In addition, we consider the behavior of the matching coefficients at threshold and make a conjecture on their structure to all orders in perturbation theory.

Iterative Monte Carlo analysis of spin-dependent parton distributions

Abstract: We present a comprehensive new global QCD analysis of polarized inclusive deep-inelastic scattering, including the latest high-precision data on longitudinal and transverse polarization asymmetries from Jefferson Lab and elsewhere. The analysis is performed using a new iterative Monte Carlo fitting technique which generates stable fits to polarized parton distribution functions (PDFs) with statistically rigorous uncertainties. Inclusion of the Jefferson Lab data leads to a reduction in the PDF errors for the valence and sea quarks, as well as in the gluon polarization uncertainty at $x\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.1$. The study also provides the first determination of the flavor-separated twist-3 PDFs and the ${d}_{2}$ moment of the nucleon within a global PDF analysis.

Fragmentation of a Jet with Small Radius

Abstract: In this paper, we consider the fragmentation of a parton into a jet with small jet radius $R$. Perturbatively, logarithms of $R$ can appear, which for narrow jets can lead to large corrections. Using soft-collinear effective theory, we introduce the fragmentation function to a jet (FFJ), which describes the fragmentation of a parton into a jet. We discuss how these objects are related to the standard jet functions. Calculating the FFJ to next-to-leading order, we show that these objects satisfy the standard Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi evolution equations, with a natural scale that depends upon $R$. By using the standard renormalization group evolution, we can therefore resum logarithms of $R$. We further use the soft-collinear effective theory to prove a factorization theorem where the FFJs naturally appear, for the fragmentation of a hadron within a jet with small $R$. Finally, we also show how this formalism can be used to resum the ratio of jet radii for a subjet to be emitted from within a fat jet.

Charm production in Pb + Pb collisions at energies available at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

Abstract: We study charm production in $\mathrm{Pb}+\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions at $\sqrt{{s}_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV in the parton-hadron-string-dynamics (PHSD) transport approach and the charm dynamics in the partonic and hadronic medium. The charm quarks are produced through initial binary nucleon-nucleon collisions by using the pythia event generator, taking into account the (anti-)shadowing incorporated in the eps09 package. The produced charm quarks interact with off-shell massive partons in the quark-gluon plasma and are hadronized into $D$ mesons through coalescence or fragmentation close to the critical energy density, and then interact with hadrons in the final hadronic stage with scattering cross sections calculated in an effective Lagrangian approach with heavy-quark spin symmetry. The PHSD results show a reasonable ${R}_{\mathrm{AA}}$ and elliptic flow of $D$ mesons in comparison to the experimental data for $\mathrm{Pb}+\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions at $\sqrt{{s}_{NN}}=2.76$ TeV from the ALICE Collaboration. We also study the effect of temperature-dependent off-shell charm quarks in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We find that the scattering cross sections are only moderately affected by off-shell charm degrees of freedom. However, the position of the peak of ${R}_{\mathrm{AA}}$ for $D$ mesons depends on the strength of the scalar partonic forces which also have an impact on the $D$ meson elliptic flow. The comparison with experimental data on the ${R}_{\mathrm{AA}}$ suggests that the repulsive force is weaker for off-shell charm quarks as compared to that for light quarks. Furthermore, the effects from radiative charm energy loss appear to be low compared to the collisional energy loss up to transverse momenta of $\ensuremath{\sim}15$ GeV/$c$.

Probing new physics of cubic Higgs boson interaction via Higgs pair production at hadron colliders

Abstract: Despite the discovery of a Higgs boson h(125 GeV) at the LHC Run-1, its self-interaction has fully evaded direct experimental probe so far. Such self-interaction is vital for electroweak symmetry breaking, vacuum stability, electroweak phase transition, and Higgs ination. It is a most likely place to encode new physics beyond the standard model. We parametrize such new physics by model-independent dimension-6 eective operators, and study their tests via Higgs pair production at hadron colliders. We analyze three major di-Higgs production channels at parton level, and compare the parameter-dependence of total cross sections and kinematic distributions at the LHC (14TeV) and pp(100TeV) hadron collider. We further perform full simulations for the diHiggs production channel gg ! hh ! b b and its backgrounds at the pp (100TeV) hadron collider. We construct four kinds of benchmark points, and study the sensitivities to probing dierent regions of the parameter space of cubic Higgs interactions. We nd that for one-parameter

Cancellation of Glauber gluon exchange in the double Drell-Yan process

Abstract: An essential part of any factorisation proof is the demonstration that the exchange of Glauber gluons cancels for the considered observable. We show this cancellation at all orders for double Drell-Yan production (the double parton scattering process in which a pair of electroweak gauge bosons is produced) both for the integrated cross section and for the cross section differential in the transverse boson momenta. In the process of constructing this proof, we also revisit and clarify some issues regarding the Glauber cancellation argument and its relation to the rest of the factorisation proof for the single Drell-Yan process.

Valence-quark distribution functions in the kaon and pion

Abstract: We describe expressions for pion and kaon dressed-quark distribution functions that incorporate contributions from gluons which bind quarks into these mesons and hence overcome a flaw of the commonly used handbag approximation. The distributions therewith obtained are purely valence in character, ensuring that dressed quarks carry all the meson's momentum at a characteristic hadronic scale and vanish as $(1\ensuremath{-}x{)}^{2}$ when Bjorken-$x\ensuremath{\rightarrow}1$. Comparing such distributions within the pion and kaon, it is apparent that the size of $SU(3)$-flavor symmetry breaking in meson parton distribution functions is modulated by the flavor dependence of dynamical chiral symmetry breaking. Corrections to these leading-order formulas may be divided into two classes, responsible for shifting dressed-quark momentum into glue and sea quarks. Working with available empirical information, we build an algebraic framework that is capable of expressing the principal impact of both classes of corrections. This enables a realistic comparison with experiment which allows us to identify and highlight basic features of measurable pion and kaon valence-quark distributions. We find that whereas roughly two thirds of the pion's light-front momentum is carried by valence dressed quarks at a characteristic hadronic scale; this fraction rises to 95% in the kaon; evolving distributions with these features to a scale typical of available Drell-Yan data produces a kaon-to-pion ratio of $u$-quark distributions that is in agreement with the single existing data set, and predicts a $u$-quark distribution within the pion that agrees with a modern reappraisal of $\ensuremath{\pi}N$ Drell-Yan data. Precise new data are essential in order to validate this reappraisal and because a single modest-quality measurement of the kaon-to-pion ratio cannot be considered definitive.

NNLO QCD predictions for fully-differential top-quark pair production at the Tevatron

Abstract: We present a comprehensive study of differential distributions for Tevatron top-pair events at the level of stable top quarks. All calculations are performed in NNLO QCD with the help of a fully differential partonic Monte-Carlo and are exact at this order in perturbation theory. We present predictions for all kinematic distributions for which data exists. Particular attention is paid on the top-quark forward-backward asymmetry which we study in detail. We compare the NNLO results with existing approximate NNLO predictions as well as differential distributions computed with different parton distribution sets. Theory errors are significantly smaller than current experimental ones with overall agreement between theory and data.

A Critical Appraisal and Evaluation of Modern PDFs

Abstract: We review the present status of the determination of parton distribution functions (PDFs) in the light of the precision requirements for the LHC in Run 2 and other future hadron colliders. We provide brief reviews of all currently available PDF sets and use them to compute cross sections for a number of benchmark processes, including Higgs boson production in gluon-gluon fusion at the LHC. We show that the differences in the predictions obtained with the various PDFs are due to particular theory assumptions made in the fits of those PDFs. We discuss PDF uncertainties in the kinematic region covered by the LHC and on averaging procedures for PDFs, such as advocated by the PDF4LHC15 sets, and provide recommendations for the usage of PDF sets for theory predictions at the LHC.

Towards the understanding of jet shapes and cross sections in heavy ion collisions using soft-collinear effective theory

Abstract: We calculate the jet shape and the jet cross section in heavy ion collisions using soft-collinear effective theory (SCET) and its extension with Glauber gluon interactions in the medium (SCETG). We use the previously developed framework to systematically resum the jet shape at next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy, and we consistently include the medium modification by incorporating the leading order medium-induced splitting functions. The calculation provides, for the first time, a quantitative understanding of the jet shape modification measurement in lead-lead collisions at $$ \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 2.76 $$ TeV at the LHC. The inclusive jet suppression is also calculated within the same framework beyond the traditional concept of parton energy loss, and the dependence on the centrality, the jet radius and the jet kinematics is examined. In the end we present predictions for the anticipated jet shape and cross section measurements in lead-lead collisions at $$ \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} \approx 5.1 $$ TeV at the LHC.

Measurement of the double-differential high-mass Drell-Yan cross section in pp collisions at √s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract: This paper presents a measurement of the double-differential cross section for the Drell-Yan Z/γ∗ → l+l− and photon-induced γγ → l+l− processes where l is an electron or muon. The measurement is performed for invariant masses of the lepton pairs, mll, between 116 GeV and 1500 GeV using a sample of 20.3 fb−1 of pp collisions data at centre-of-mass energy of s=8 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2012. The data are presented double differentially in invariant mass and absolute dilepton rapidity as well as in invariant mass and absolute pseudorapidity separation of the lepton pair. The single-differential cross section as a function of mll is also reported. The electron and muon channel measurements are combined and a total experimental precision of better than 1% is achieved at low mll. A comparison to next-to-next-to-leading order perturbative QCD predictions using several recent parton distribution functions and including next-to-leading order electroweak effects indicates the potential of the data to constrain parton distribution functions. In particular, a large impact of the data on the photon PDF is demonstrated.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]