QCD Production Research Articles

The quark flavor-violating ALPs in light of B mesons and hadron colliders

The axion-like particle (ALP) may induce flavor-changing neutral currents (FCNCs) when the fermions’ Peccei-Quinn charges are not generation universal. The search for flavor-violating ALP couplings with a bottom quark so far focused on FCNC processes of B mesons at low energies. The recent measurements of B → K + X rare decays place stringent bounds on the quark flavor violations of a light ALP in different decay modes. In this work we propose a novel direct search for bottom flavor-violating interaction of a heavy ALP at the LHC and its upgrades, namely QCD production of an ALP associated with one b jet and one light jet p p → b j a. We consider the decay of the ALP to photons, muons and invisible ALP decays. The Boosted Decision Tree (BDT) algorithm is used to analyze the events and we train the BDT classifier by feeding in the kinematic observables of signal and backgrounds. Finally, we show the complementarity between the search prospects of hadron colliders and the low-energy B meson constraints from B meson mixing and B meson decays to a light ALP.

Event-Shape-Dependent Analysis of Charm–Anticharm Azimuthal Correlations in Simulations

In high-energy collisions of small systems, by high-enough final-state multiplicities, a collective behaviour is present that is similar to the flow patterns observed in heavy-ion collisions. Recent studies connect this collectivity to semi-soft vacuum-QCD processes. Here we explore QCD production mechanisms using angular correlations of heavy flavour using simulated proton-proton collisions at s=13 TeV with the PYTHIA8 Monte Carlo event generator. We demonstrate that the event shape is strongly connected to the production mechanisms. Flattenicity, a novel event descriptor, can be used to separate events containing the final-state radiation from the rest of the events.

Precise predictions for V + 2 jet backgrounds in searches for invisible Higgs decays

We present next-to-leading order QCD and electroweak (EW) theory predictions for V + 2 jet production, with V = Z, W±, considering both the QCD and EW production modes and their interference. We focus on phase-space regions where V + 2 jet production is dominated by vector-boson fusion, and where these processes yield the dominant irreducible backgrounds in searches for invisible Higgs boson decays. Predictions at parton level are provided together with detailed prescriptions for their implementation in experimental analyses based on the reweighting of Monte Carlo samples. The key idea is that, exploiting accurate data for W + 2 jet production in combination with a theory-driven extrapolation to the Z + 2 jet process can lead to a determination of the irreducible background at the few-percent level. Particular attention is devoted to the estimate of the residual theoretical uncertainties due to unknown higher-order QCD and EW effects and their correlation between the different V + 2 jet processes, which is key to improve the sensitivity to invisible Higgs decays.

Scalar-pseudoscalar pair production at the Large Hadron Collider at NLO+NLL accuracy in QCD * *Supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11775211, 12061141005, 11805001, 11935001) and the CAS Center for Excellence in Particle Physics (CCEPP)

We thoroughly investigate both transverse momentum and threshold resummation effects on scalar-pseudoscalar pair production via quark-antiquark annihilation at the Large Hadron Collider at QCD NLO+NLL accuracy. A factorization method is introduced to properly supplement the soft-gluon (threshold) resummation contribution from parton distribution functions to the resummed results obtained by the Collins-Soper-Sterman resummation approach. We find that the impact of the threshold-resummation improved PDFs is comparable to the resummation effect of the partonic matrix element and can even predominate in high invariant mass regions. Moreover, the loop-induced gluon-gluon fusion channel in the type-I two-Higgs-doublet model is considered in our calculations. The numerical results show that the electroweak production via quark-antiquark annihilation dominates over the gluon-initiated QCD production by orders of magnitude.

B-hadron production in NNLO QCD: application to LHC t overline{t} events with leptonic decays

We calculate, for the first time, the NNLO QCD corrections to identified heavy hadron production at hadron colliders. The calculation is based on a flexible numeric framework which allows the calculation of any distribution of a single identified heavy hadron plus jets and non-QCD particles. As a first application we provide NNLO QCD predictions for several differential distributions of B hadrons in t overline{t} events at the LHC. Among others, these predictions are needed for the precise determination of the top quark mass. The extension of our results to other processes, like open or associated B and charm production is straightforward. We also explore the prospects for extracting heavy flavor fragmentation functions from LHC data.

The complete set of two-loop master integrals for Higgs + jet production in QCD

In this paper we complete the computation of the two-loop master integrals relevant for Higgs plus one jet production initiated in [1–3]. Specifically, we compute the remaining family of non-planar master integrals. The computation is performed by defining differential equations along contours in the kinematic space, and by solving them in terms of one-dimensional generalized power series. This method allows for the efficient evaluation of the integrals in all kinematic regions, with high numerical precision. We show the generality of our approach by considering both the top- and the bottom-quark contributions. This work along with [1–3] provides the full set of master integrals relevant for the NLO corrections to Higgs plus one jet production, and for the real-virtual contributions to the NNLO corrections to inclusive Higgs production in QCD in the full theory.

QED contribution to J/ψ production with light hadrons at B factories

To understand the direct $J/\psi+X_{\mathrm{non-c\bar{c}}}$ production mechanism in $e^{+}e^{-}$ annihilation, in this work, we propose to measure the inclusive $J/\psi$ plus light hadrons (LH) production at B-factories and present a detailed study on its QED production due to $\psi(2S)$ feed-down, where the $\psi(2S)$ are produced in $e^{+}e^{-}\to \psi(2S)+\gamma$ and $e^{+}e^{-}\to \psi(2S)+f\bar{f}, f=lepton,light quark$, and QED contribution to direct $J/\psi+q\bar{q}$ production with $q=u,d,s$ quark. We find that the QED contribution is huge in the whole phase space region, but can be reduced largely and is in the same order as the QCD contribution when a suitable cut on the angel $\theta_{J/\psi}$ between $J/\psi$ and the $e^{+}e^{-}$ beam is made. In this way, the cross section of $J/\psi+LH$ QCD production %which was predicted theoretical at next-to-leading order QCD together with relativistic correction, can be obtained by subtracting the QED contribution from the experimental measurement on inclusive $J/\psi$ plus light hadrons. To help to remove the QED background, we also calculate the angular and momentum distribution of $J/\psi$ in the QED contribution.

Implications of four-top and top-pair studies on triple-top production

Multi-top quark production is a staple program at the LHC. Single-top and tt¯ productions are studied extensively, while current efforts are zooming in on four-top search, where the Standard Model (SM) cross section is at O(10) fb. In contrast, only at the fb level in SM, triple-top production has not been targeted for study so far. But such a small cross section makes it a unique probe for New Physics. Without the usual discrete Z2 symmetry, the general two Higgs doublet model (g2HDM) can naturally raise the triple-top production to pb level. We illustrate how certain signal regions of four-top search can be utilized to constrain triple-top production, but urge a dedicated search. As an aside, we note that the CMS study at 13 TeV of scalar tt¯ resonance interfering with QCD production background indicate some activity at 400 GeV. We comment that this could be explained in principle in g2HDM via the extra top Yukawa coupling.

LHC constraints on a (B−L)3 gauge boson

In this paper, we explore the constraints that the LHC can place on a massive gauge boson $X$ that predominantly couples to the third generation of fermions. Such a gauge boson arises in scenarios where the $B-L$ of the third generation is gauged. We focus on the mass range $10 \leq m_X \lesssim 2\,m_W$, where current constraints are lacking, and develop a dedicated search strategy. For this mass range, we show that $b \bar b \tau^+ \tau^-$, where at least one of the $\tau$s decay leptonically is the optimal channel to look for the $X$ at the LHC. The QCD production of $b$ quarks, combined with the cleanliness of the leptons coming from the decay of the $\tau$ allow us to detect $X$ gauge boson with couplings of $g_X \sim(0.005-0.01)$, for $m_X < 50 \ \text{GeV}$, and a coupling of $O(0.1)$ for heavier $X$ gauge boson with $100 \ \text{fb}^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. This is about a factor of 2-10 improvement over previous constraints coming from the decay of $\Upsilon \to \tau^+ \tau^-$. Extrapolating to the full HL-LHC luminosity of $3000 \ \text{fb}^{-1}$, the bounds on $g_X$ can be enhanced by another factor of $\sqrt{2}$ for $m_X < 50 \ \text{GeV}$.

Electroweak production of multiple (pseudo)scalars in the 2HDM

The two-Higgs Doublet Model (2HDM) is the most minimal extension of the Standard Model (SM) containing extra Higgs doublet fields. Given the multiplicity of Higgs states in a 2HDM, its Higgs potential is significantly more involved than the SM one. Importantly, it contains a multitude of Higgs triple self-couplings, unlike the SM, which only has one. These interactions are key to understanding the phenomenology of the 2HDM, as they uniquely determine the form of the potential. Several studies analysing the prospects of measuring these couplings at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have found them to be quite low generally. However, such studies have largely concentrated on Higgs pair-production induced by gluon-gluon scattering, either via direct annihilation or followed by their splitting into b-(anti)quark pairs, which in turn annihilate leaving behind spectator b-(anti)quarks. Both of these channels are therefore governed by QCD dynamics. We compare here the yields of such channels to those initiated by (primarily) valence quarks, which involve Electro-Weak (EW) interactions only, for neutral multi-Higgs final states. We find that EW production can be dominant over QCD production for certain final state combinations. We also illustrate that charged final states, which can only be produced via EW modes, could serve as important probes of some H^pm triple couplings, that are inaccessible in QCD-induced processes, during Run 2 and 3 of the LHC. Our analysis covers regions of the parameter space of the Type-I 2HDM that have escaped the most up-to-date experimental constraints coming from EW precision data, LHC measurements of the 125 GeV Higgs boson properties, searches for additional Higgs states, and flavour physics.

SUSY signals from QCD production at the upgraded LHC

Weak-scale supersymmetry remains to be one of the best-motivated theories of physics beyond the Standard Model. We evaluate the sensitivities of the High Luminosity (HL) and High Energy (HE) upgrades of the LHC to gluinos and stops, decaying through the simplified topologies g˜→qq¯χ0, g˜→tt¯χ0 and t˜→tχ˜0. Our HL-LHC analyses improve on existing experimental projections by optimizing the acceptance of kinematic variables. The HE-LHC studies represent the first 27 TeV analyses. We find that the HL-(HE-)LHC with 3 ab−1 (15 ab−1) of integrated luminosity will be sensitive to the masses of gluinos and stops at 3.2 (5.7) TeV and 1.5 (2.7) TeV, respectively, decaying to massless neutralinos.

Cosmological beam dump: Constraints on dark scalars mixed with the Higgs boson

Precision cosmology provides a sensitive probe of extremely weakly coupled states due to thermal freeze-in production, with subsequent decays impacting physics during well-tested cosmological epochs. We explore the cosmological implications of the freeze-in production of a new scalar $S$ via the super-renormalizable Higgs portal. If the mass of $S$ is at or below the electroweak scale, peak freeze-in production occurs during the electroweak epoch. We improve the calculation of the freeze-in abundance by including all relevant QCD and electroweak production channels. The resulting abundance and subsequent decay of $S$ is constrained by a combination of X-ray data, cosmic microwave background anisotropies and spectral distortions, $N_{\rm eff}$, and the consistency of BBN with observations. These probes constrain technically natural couplings for such scalars from $m_S \sim$ keV all the way to $m_S \sim 100$ GeV. The ensuing constraints are similar in spirit to typical beam bump limits, but extend to much smaller couplings, down to mixing angles as small as $\theta_{Sh} \sim 10^{-16}$, and to masses all the way to the electroweak scale.

Soft QCD and CEP at LHCb

Besides its b and c quark physics programme, due to the experiment’s unique geometry, LHCb also provides a suitable enviroment for QCD and central exclusive production measurements in a unique forward pseudorapidity range. The latest results on inelastic cross-section for proton-proton collisions and the central exclusive production of J/ψ and ψ(2S) vector mesons, both at at LHCb are presented.

LHC dark matter signals from vector resonances and top partners

Extensions of the Standard Model which address the hierarchy problem and dark matter (DM) often contain top partners and additional resonances at the TeV scale. We explore the phenomenology of a simplified effective model with a vector resonance $Z'$, a fermionic vector-like coloured partner of the top quark $T'$ as well as a scalar DM candidate $\phi$ and provide publicly available implementations in CalcHEP and MadGraph. We study the $pp \to Z' \to T'\overline{T'} \to t\bar{t}\,\phi\phi$ process at the LHC and find that it plays an important role in addition to the $T'\overline{T'}$ production via strong interactions. It turns out that the presence of the $Z'$ can provide a dominant contribution to the $t\bar{t}+E_T^{\text{miss}}$ signature without conflicting with existing bounds from $Z'$ searches in di-jet and di-lepton final states. We find that through this process, the LHC is already probing DM masses up to about 900 GeV and top partner masses up to about 1.5 TeV, thus exceeding the current bounds from QCD production alone almost by a factor of two for both particles.

Configurational entropy and ρ and ϕ mesons production in QCD

In the present work the electroproduction for diffractive ρ and ϕ mesons by considering AdS/QCD correspondence and Color Glass Condensate (CGC) approximation are studied with respect to the associated dipole cross section, whose parameters are studied and analysed in the framework of the configurational entropy. Our results suggest different quantum states of the nuclear matter, showing that the extremal points of the nuclear configurational entropy is able to reflect a true description of the ρ and ϕ mesons production, using current data concerning light quark masses. During the computations parameters, obtained in fitting procedure, coincide to the experimental within ∼0.1%.

Vectorlike quarks and heavy colored bosons at the LHC

We investigate the production of heavy coloured scalars and vectors and their relevance at LHC for the study of vector-like quarks ($T$). These coloured states ($C$) are present in a large number of extensions of the standard model, in particular in composite models and in extra dimensional models. Assuming that these bosonic states are heavier than the vector-like quarks (VLQ), we consider their production through the process $p~p\rightarrow C\rightarrow tT$. Large QCD production cross-sections for $C$ enable us to probe heavier masses for the VLQ and thereby allowing to put stronger limits on the vector-like quarks which are produced in their decay chain. We adopt a universal analysis strategy by including leptons under the classification of `jets', thereby limiting the bias towards a specific combination of final state. We also study the possibility of disentangling these scenarios from supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model by using simple discriminants based on jet multiplicity and missing energy. We demonstrate that a simple set of cuts are sufficient to disentangle the VLQ signal from the backgrounds. In models with a moderate $B.R.(C\rightarrow Tt)$, the analysis enables one to get a hint of VLQ masses as heavy as 3 TeV.

Proof of factorization of heavy quarkonium production in non-equilibrium QCD at RHIC and LHC

Recently we have proved the NRQCD factorization in heavy quarkonium production at high energy colliders at all orders in coupling constant. In this paper we extend this to non-equilibrium QCD and prove the NRQCD factorization in heavy quarkonium production at all orders in coupling constant in non-equilibrium QCD. This proof is necessary to study heavy quarkonium production from quark gluon plasma at RHIC and LHC.

Precise predictions for the angular coefficients in Z-boson production at the LHC

The angular distributions of lepton pairs in the Drell-Yan process can provide rich information on the underlying QCD production mechanisms. These dynamics can be parameterised in terms of a set of frame dependent angular coefficients, Ai=0,…,7, which depend on the invariant mass, transverse momentum, and rapidity of the lepton pair. Motivated by recent measurements of these coefficients by ATLAS and CMS, and in particular by the apparent violation of the Lam-Tung relation A0 − A2 = 0, we perform a precision study of the angular coefficients at mathcal{O}left({alpha}_{mathrm{s}}^3right) in perturbative QCD. We make predic-tions relevant for pp collisions at sqrt{s}=8 TeV, and perform comparisons with the available ATLAS and CMS data as well as providing predictions for a prospective measurement at LHCb. To expose the violation of the Lam-Tung relationship we propose a new observable ΔLT = 1 − A2/A0 that is more sensitive to the dynamics in the region where A0 and A2 are both small. We find that the mathcal{O}left({alpha}_{mathrm{s}}^3right) corrections have an important impact on the pT,Z distributions for several of the angular coefficients, and are essential to provide an adequate description of the data. The compatibility of the available ATLAS and CMS data is reassessed by performing a partial χ2 test with respect to the central theoretical prediction which shows that χ2/Ndata is significantly reduced by going from mathcal{O}left({alpha}_{mathrm{s}}^2right) to mathcal{O}left({alpha}_{mathrm{s}}^3right) .

Proof of factorization of chi _{text{cJ}} production in non-equilibrium QCD at RHIC and LHC in color singlet mechanism

Recently we have proved the factorization of NRQCD S-wave heavy quarkonium production at all orders in coupling constant. In this paper we extend this to prove the factorization of infrared divergences in chi _{text{cJ}} production from color singlet c{bar{c}} pair in non-equilibrium QCD at RHIC and LHC at all orders in coupling constant. This can be relevant to study the quark–gluon plasma at RHIC and LHC.

Correlations, multiplicity distributions, and the ridge in pp and p-Pb collisions

Measurements made by the ALICE Collaboration of single- and two-particle distributions in high-energy pp and p-Pb collisions are used to characterize the interactions in small collision systems, tune models of particle production in QCD, and serve as a baseline for heavy-ion observables. The measurements of charged-particle multiplicity density, $\langle dN_{ch}/d\eta\rangle$, and multiplicity distributions are shown in pp and p-Pb collisions, including data from the top center-of-mass energy achieved at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. Two-particle angular correlations in p-Pb collisions are studied in detail to investigate long-range correlations in pseudorapidity which are reminiscent of structures previously thought unique to heavy-ion collisions.