Abstract
We calculate a comprehensive set of spin correlations and differential distributions in top-quark pair production and decay to dilepton final states. Our calculation is performed in the Narrow Width Approximation. This is the first time such a complete study is performed at next-to-next-to leading order in QCD. Both inclusive and fiducial distributions are presented and analyzed. Good agreement between NNLO QCD predictions and data is found. We demonstrate that it is possible to perform high-precision comparisons of fixed-order calculations with fiducial-level data. Subtleties of the top quark definition are raised and clarified. Some of those are found to have a very significant impact on top-quark pair production at absolute threshold.
Highlights
Leading Order (NNLO) predictions for stable top quark pair production to the description of the more realistic final state pp → tt → bb + −νν + X
We calculate a comprehensive set of spin correlations and differential distributions in top-quark pair production and decay to dilepton final states
In particular observables which are sensitive to top-quark spin correlations can reliably be obtained within the Narrow-Width Approximation (NWA) since the spin correlations between the top quark(s) production and their subsequent decay are taken into account exactly
Summary
This work presents a comprehensive set of differential distributions in top-quark pair production and decay in NNLO QCD. An exception is the treatment of a relatively minor NLO contribution which only enters the calculation at NNLO. It has been computed in the dipole subtraction formalism; see section 2.5 for details.
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