Knowledge Of Parton Distribution Functions Research Articles

Lepton-quark fusion at Hadron colliders, precisely

When a TeV-scale leptoquark has a sizeable Yukawa coupling, its dominant production mechanism at hadron colliders is the partonic-level lepton-quark fusion. Even though the parton distribution functions for leptons inside the proton are minuscule, they get compensated by the resonant enhancement. We present the first computation of higher order radiative corrections to the resonant leptoquark production cross section at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Next-to-leading (NLO) QCD and QED corrections are similar in size but come with the opposite sign. We compute NLO K-factors for a wide range of scalar leptoquark masses, as well as, all possible combinations of quark and lepton flavors and leptoquark charges. Theoretical uncertainties due to the renormalisation and factorisation scale variations and the limited knowledge of parton distribution functions are quantified. We finally discuss how to disentangle the flavor structure of leptoquark interactions by exploiting the interplay between different production channels.

Implementation of target mass corrections and higher-twist effects in the xFitter framework

Knowledge of parton distribution functions (PDFs) at large momentum fraction $ x $ is not only important to study the flavor and spin dynamics of quarks in the nucleon, but also to search for signals of new physics at collider experiments. It is well known now that the nonperturbative QCD effects generally play a more significant role at such kinematic regions. In this work, we present an open-source QCD analysis of PDFs considering target mass corrections (TMCs) and higher-twist (HT) effects which are necessary when the analysis includes also data points from deep inelastic scattering (DIS) with larger values of $ x $ and smaller values of photon virtuality $ Q^2 $. To this aim, we use the xFitter package, as a comprehensive and powerful tool for studying PDFs. We report and discuss our recent activities on the implementation of TMCs and HT effects in the xFitter framework in a user-friendly way, so that the user can switch on or off them, and also choose between different options. We check the validity of the modifications by performing sample analyses of PDFs considering TMCs and HT effects and using a wide range of DIS data.

Bayesian PDF reweighting meets the Hessian methods

New data coming from the LHC experiments have a potential to extend the current knowledge of parton distribution functions (PDFs). As a short cut to the cumbersome and time consuming task of performing a new PDF fit, re-weighting methods have been proposed. In this talk, we introduce the so-called Hessian re-weighting, valid for PDF fits that carried out a Hessian error analysis, and compare it with the better-known Bayesian methods. We determine the existence of an agreement between the two approaches, and illustrate this using the inclusive jet production at the LHC.

Charge asymmetry ratio as a probe of quark flavour couplings of resonant particles at the LHC

We show how a precise knowledge of parton distribution functions, in particular those of the u and d quarks, can be used to constrain a certain class of New Physics models in which new heavy charged resonances couple to quarks and leptons. We illustrate the method by considering a left–right symmetric model with a W′ from a SU(2) R gauge sector produced in quark–antiquark annihilation and decaying into a charged lepton and a heavy Majorana neutrino. We discuss a number of quark and lepton mixing scenarios, and simulate both signals and backgrounds in order to determine the size of the expected charge asymmetry. We show that various quark–W′ mixing scenarios can indeed be constrained by charge asymmetry measurements at the LHC, particularly at $\sqrt{s}= 14$ TeV.

Global QCD Analysis and Hadron Collider Physics

The role of global QCD analysis of parton distribution functions (PDFs) in collider physics at the Tevatron and LHC is surveyed. Current status of PDF analyses are reviewed, emphasizing the uncertainties and the open issues. The stability of NLO QCD global analysis and its prediction on "standard candle" W/Z cross sections at hadron colliders are discussed. The importance of the precise measurement of various W/Z cross sections at the Tevatron in advancing our knowledge of PDFs, hence in enhancing the capabilities of making significant progress in W mass and top quark parameter measurements, as well as the discovery potentials of Higgs and New Physics at the Tevatron and LHC, is emphasized.