T-channel Exchange Research Articles

Photon-odderon interference in exclusive χc charmonium production at the Electron-Ion Collider

Exclusive C=+1 scalar, axial-vector, and tensor quarkonium production in high-energy electron-proton scattering requires a C-odd t-channel exchange of a photon or a three-gluon ladder. We derive the expressions for the corresponding amplitudes. The relative phase of the photon vs three-gluon exchange amplitudes is determined by the sign of the light-front matrix element of the eikonal color current operator dabcJ+aJ+bJ+c at moderate x, and is not affected by small-x QCD evolution. Model calculations predict constructive interference, which is particularly strong for momentum transfer |t|∼1 GeV2 where the cross section for χcJ production exceeds that for pure photon exchange by up to a factor of 4. Exclusive χcJ electroproduction at the high luminosity Electron-Ion Collider occurs with well measurable rates and measurements of these processes should find evidence for the perturbative odderon exchange. We also compute the total electroproduction cross section as a function of energy and provide first estimates of the number of χcJ events per month at the Electron-Ion Collider design luminosity. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Measurement of t-channel production of single top quarks and antiquarks in pp collisions at 13 TeV using the full ATLAS Run 2 data sample

The production of single top quarks and top antiquarks via the t-channel exchange of a virtual W boson is measured in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC using 140 fb−1 of ATLAS data. The total cross-sections are determined to be σtq=137−8+8\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\sigma (tq)={137}_{-8}^{+8} $$\\end{document} pb and σt¯q=84−5+6\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\sigma \\left(\\overline{t}q\\right)={84}_{-5}^{+6} $$\\end{document} pb for top-quark and top-antiquark production, respectively. The combined cross-section is found to be σtq+t¯q=221−13+13\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\sigma \\left( tq+\\overline{t}q\\right)={221}_{-13}^{+13} $$\\end{document} pb and the cross-section ratio is Rt=σtq/σt¯q=1.636−0.034+0.036\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {R}_t=\\sigma (tq)/\\sigma \\left(\\overline{t}q\\right)={1.636}_{-0.034}^{+0.036} $$\\end{document}. The predictions at next-to-next-to-leading-order in quantum chromodynamics are in good agreement with these measurements. The predicted value of Rt using different sets of parton distribution functions is compared with the measured value, demonstrating the potential to further constrain the functions when using this result in global fits. The measured cross-sections are interpreted in an effective field theory approach, setting limits at the 95% confidence level on the strength of a four-quark operator and an operator coupling the third quark generation to the Higgs boson doublet: −0.37<CQq3,1/Λ2<0.06\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ -0.37<{C}_{Qq}^{3,1}/{\\Lambda}^2<0.06 $$\\end{document} and −0.87<CϕQ3/Λ2<1.42\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ -0.87<{C}_{\\phi Q}^3/{\\Lambda}^2<1.42 $$\\end{document}. The constraint |Vtb| > 0.95 at the 95% confidence level is derived from the measured value of σtq+t¯q\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\sigma \\left( tq+\\overline{t}q\\right) $$\\end{document}, assuming that the Wtb interaction is a left-handed weak coupling and that |Vtb| ≫ |Vtd|, |Vts|. In a more general approach, pairs of CKM matrix elements involving top quarks are simultaneously constrained, leading to confidence contours in the corresponding two-dimensional parameter spaces.

Dip-Bump Structure in Proton’s Single Diffractive Dissociation at the Large Hadron Collider

By extending the dipole Pomeron (DP) model, successful in describing elastic nucleon–nucleon scattering, to proton single diffractive dissociation (SD), we predict a dip-bump structure in the squared four-momentum transfer (t) distribution of proton’s SD. Structures in the t distribution of single diffractive dissociation are predicted around t=−4GeV2 at LHC energies in the range of 3 GeV2≲|t|≲ 7 GeV2. Apart from the dependence on s (total energy squared) and t (squared momentum transfer), we predict also a dependence on missing masses. We include the minimum set of Regge trajectories, namely the Pomeron and the Odderon, indispensable at the LHC. Further generalization, e.g., by the inclusion of non-leading Regge trajectories, is straightforward. The present model contains two types of Regge trajectories: those connected with t-channel exchanges (the Pomeron, the Odderon, and non-leading (secondary) reggeons) appearing at small and moderate −t, where they are real and nearly linear, as well as direct-channel trajectories α(M2) related to missing masses. In this paper, we concentrate on structures in t neglecting (for the time being) resonances in M2.

Next-to-leading-logarithmic PanScales showers for deep inelastic scattering and vector boson fusion

We introduce the first family of parton showers that achieve next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) accuracy for processes involving a t-channel exchange of a colour-singlet, and embed them in the PanScales framework. These showers are applicable to processes such as deep inelastic scattering (DIS), vector boson fusion (VBF), and vector boson scattering (VBS). We extensively test and verify the NLL accuracy of the new showers at both fixed order and all orders across a wide range of observables. We also introduce a generalisation of the Cambridge-Aachen jet algorithm and formulate new DIS observables that exhibit a simple resummation structure. The NLL showers are compared to a standard transverse-momentum ordered dipole shower, serving as a proxy for the current state-of-the-art leading-logarithmic showers available in public codes. Depending on the observable, we find discrepancies at NLL of the order of 15%. We also present some exploratory phenomenological results for Higgs production in VBF. This work enables, for the first time, to resum simultaneously global and non-global observables for the VBF process at NLL accuracy.

Search for non-resonant production of semi-visible jets using Run 2 data in ATLAS

Semi-visible jets, with a significant contribution to the event's missing transverse momentum, can arise in strongly interacting dark sectors. This results in an event topology where one of the jets can be aligned with the direction of the missing transverse momentum. The first search for semi-visible jets produced via a t-channel mediator exchange is presented. The analysis uses proton-proton collisions with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1 and a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected with the ATLAS detector during the Run 2 of the LHC. No excess over Standard Model predictions is observed. Assuming a coupling strength of unity between the mediator, a Standard Model quark and a dark quark, mediator masses up to 2.7 TeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. Upper limits on the coupling strength are also derived.

Searches for additional Higgs bosons and for vector leptoquarks in ττ final states in proton-proton collisions at sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

Three searches are presented for signatures of physics beyond the standard model (SM) in ττ final states in proton-proton collisions at the LHC, using a data sample collected with the CMS detector at sqrt{s} = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1. Upper limits at 95% confidence level (CL) are set on the products of the branching fraction for the decay into τ leptons and the cross sections for the production of a new boson ϕ, in addition to the H(125) boson, via gluon fusion (ggϕ) or in association with b quarks, ranging from mathcal{O} (10 pb) for a mass of 60 GeV to 0.3 fb for a mass of 3.5 TeV each. The data reveal two excesses for ggϕ production with local p-values equivalent to about three standard deviations at mϕ = 0.1 and 1.2 TeV. In a search for t-channel exchange of a vector leptoquark U1, 95% CL upper limits are set on the dimensionless U1 leptoquark coupling to quarks and τ leptons ranging from 1 for a mass of 1 TeV to 6 for a mass of 5 TeV, depending on the scenario. In the interpretations of the {M}_{textrm{h}}^{125} and {M}_{textrm{h},textrm{EFT}}^{125} minimal supersymmetric SM benchmark scenarios, additional Higgs bosons with masses below 350 GeV are excluded at 95% CL.

First measurement of differential cross sections and photon beam asymmetries for photoproduction of the f0(980) meson decaying into π0π0 at Eγ&lt;2.4 GeV

For the first time, differential cross sections and photon beam asymmetries were measured for the reaction γp→f0(980)p→π0π0p by using a linearly polarized photon beam up to 2.4GeV and a liquid hydrogen target. The f0(980) photoproduction signal was clearly observed owing to the absence of contributions from vector-meson photoproduction. The results indicate the t-channel exchange of vector mesons as a mechanism of the f0(980) photoproduction at Eγ≈2.1GeV, putting constraints on the nature of f0(980).Received 17 January 2023Accepted 28 March 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.107.L042201©2023 American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasPhotonuclear reactionsPolarization phenomenaQuark modelPhysical SystemsHadronsMesonsPropertiesParticle propertiesTechniquesCalorimetersNuclear PhysicsParticles & Fields

Photo-production of lowest state within the Regge-effective Lagrangian approach* *Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12192263, 12075288, 11735003, 11961141012), the Natural Science Foundation of Henan (222300420554, 232300421140), the Project of Youth Backbone Teachers of Colleges and Universities of Henan Province (2020GGJS017), the Youth Talent Support Project of Henan (2021HYTP002), the Open Project of Guangxi Key Laboratory of

Because the lowest state with quantum numbers spin-parity is far from being established experimentally and theoretically, we perform a theoretical study on the photo-production within the Regge-effective Lagrangian approach. Considering that couples to the channel, we study the contributions from the t-channel K exchange diagram. Moreover, the contributions from the t-channel exchange, s-channel nucleon pole, u-channel Σ exchange, and contact term are considered. The differential and total cross sections of the process are predicted with our model parameters. The results should help in experimentally searching for the state in the future.

Eikonal approximation in celestial CFT

We identify an eikonal regime in celestial CFT2 in which massless 2-2 scattering is dominated by t-channel exchange. We derive a formula for the celestial amplitude that resums exchanges of arbitrary integer spin to all orders in the coupling. The resulting eikonal phase takes the same form as in flat space with the powers of center-of-mass energy replaced by weight-shifting operators on the celestial sphere. We independently compute the celestial two-point function for a scalar propagating in a shockwave background and show that to leading order in the gravitational coupling and for a suitable choice of the source, the result agrees with the prediction from the celestial eikonal formula for graviton exchange. We demonstrate that this two-point function can be directly obtained from the corresponding formula in AdS4 in a flat space limit. We finally establish a general relation between scalar celestial amplitudes in celestial CFTd−1 and the flat space limit of scalar AdSd+1 Witten diagrams.

Fresh look at experimental evidence for odderon exchange

Theory suggests that in high-energy elastic hadron+hadron scattering, t-channel exchange of a family of colourless crossing-odd states – the odderon – may generate differences between pp¯ and pp cross-sections in the neighbourhood of the diffractive minimum. Using a mathematical approach based on interpolation via continued fractions enhanced by statistical sampling, we develop robust comparisons between pp¯ elastic differential cross-sections measured at √s=1.96 TeV by the D0 Collaboration at the Tevatron and function-form-unbiased extrapolations to this energy of kindred pp measurements at √s/TeV=2.76,7,8,13 by the TOTEM Collaboration at the LHC and a combination of these data with earlier cross-section measurements at √s/GeV=23.5,30.7,44.7,52.8,62.5 made at the intersecting storage rings. Focusing on a domain that straddles the diffractive minimum in the pp¯ and pp cross-sections, we find that these two cross-sections differ at the (2.2−2.6)σ level; hence, supply evidence with this level of significance for the existence of the odderon. If combined with evidence obtained through different experiment-theory comparisons, whose significance is reported to lie in the range (3.4−4.6)σ, one arrives at a (4.0−5.2)σ signal for the odderon.

Disentangling the Regge Cut and Regge Pole in Perturbative QCD.

The high-energy limit of gauge-theory amplitudes features both a Regge pole and Regge cuts. We show how to disentangle these, and hence how to determine the Regge trajectory beyond two loops. While the nonplanar part of multiple Reggeon t-channel exchange forms a Regge cut, the planar part contributes to the pole along with the single Reggeon. With this, we find that the infrared singularities of the trajectory are given by the cusp anomalous dimension. By matching to recent QCD results, we determine the quark and gluon impact factors to two loops and the Regge trajectory to three loops.

Photoproduction in an effective Lagrangian approach * *Partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12175240, 11475181, 11635009), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2021M693141, 2021M693142), and the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Y7292610K1)

A gauge-invariant model is constructed for the reaction within a tree-level effective Lagrangian approach to understand the underlying production mechanisms and study the resonance contributions in this reaction. In addition to the t-channel K and exchanges, s-channel nucleon exchange, and interaction current, the s-channel nucleon resonance exchanges are included in constructing the reaction amplitudes to describe the data. It is found that the contributions from the s-channel exchange are required to describe the most recently measured total cross-section data for from the CLAS Collaboration. Further analysis indicates that the interaction current dominates the reaction near the threshold as a result of gauge invariance. The t-channel K exchange contributes significantly, while the contributions from the t-channel exchange and s-channel nucleon exchange are ultimately negligible. The contributions from the s-channel exchange are found to be responsible for the bump structure shown in the CLAS total cross-section data above the center-of-mass energy GeV. The predictions of the differential cross sections for are presented and discussed, which can provide theoretical guidance for future experiments.

Measuring the electron Yukawa coupling via resonant s-channel Higgs production at FCC-ee

The Future Circular Collider (FCC-ee) offers the unique opportunity of studying the Higgs Yukawa coupling to the electron, y_mathrm {e}, via resonant s-channel production, mathrm {e^+e^-}rightarrow mathrm {H}, in a dedicated run at sqrt{s} = m_mathrm {H}. The signature for direct Higgs production is a small rise in the cross sections for particular final states, consistent with Higgs decays, over the expectations for their occurrence due to Standard Model (SM) background processes involving mathrm {Z}^*, gamma ^*, or t-channel exchanges alone. Performing such a measurement is remarkably challenging for four main reasons. First, the low value of the e^pm mass leads to a tiny y_mathrm {e} coupling and correspondingly small cross section: sigma _mathrm {eerightarrow H} propto m_mathrm {e}^2 = 0.57 fb accounting for initial-state gamma radiation. Second, the mathrm {e^+e^-} beams must be monochromatized such that the spread of their centre-of-mass (c.m.) energy is commensurate with the narrow width of the SM Higgs boson, varGamma _mathrm {H} = 4.1 MeV, while keeping large beam luminosities. Third, the Higgs mass must also be known beforehand with a few-MeV accuracy in order to operate the collider at the resonance peak, sqrt{s} = m_mathrm {H}. Last but not least, the cross sections of the background processes are many orders-of-magnitude larger than those of the Higgs decay signals. A preliminary generator-level study of 11 Higgs decay channels using a multivariate analysis, which exploits boosted decision trees to discriminate signal and background events, identifies two final states as the most promising ones in terms of statistical significance: mathrm {H}rightarrow gg and mathrm {H}rightarrow mathrm {W}mathrm {W}^*!rightarrow ell nu + 2 jets. For a benchmark monochromatization with 4.1-MeV c.m. energy spread (leading to sigma _mathrm {eerightarrow H} = 0.28 fb) and 10 ab^{-1} of integrated luminosity, a 1.3sigma signal significance can be reached, corresponding to an upper limit on the e^pm Yukawa coupling at 1.6 times the SM value: |y_mathrm {e}|<1.6|y^mathrm {textsc {sm}}_mathrm {e}| at 95% confidence level, per FCC-ee interaction point per year. Directions for future improvements of the study are outlined.

Scalar leptoquark pair production at the LHC: precision predictions in the era of flavour anomalies

We comprehensively examine precision predictions for scalar leptoquark pair production at the LHC. In particular, we investigate the impact of lepton t-channel exchange diagrams that are potentially relevant in the context of leptoquark scenarios providing an explanation for the flavour anomalies. We also evaluate the corresponding total rates at the next-to-leading order in QCD. Moreover, we complement this calculation with the resummation of soft-gluon radiation at the next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy, hence providing the most precise predictions for leptoquark pair production at the LHC to date. Relying on a variety of benchmark scenarios favoured by the anomalies, our results exhibit an interesting interplay between the t-channel diagram contributions, the flavour texture satisfied by the leptoquark Yukawa couplings, the leptoquark masses and their representations under the Standard Model gauge group, as well as the chosen set of parton densities used for the numerical evaluations. The net effect on a cross section turns out to be very non-generic and ranges up to about 60% with respect to the usual next-to-leading-order predictions in QCD (i.e. without any t-channel contribution) for some scenarios considered. Dedicated calculations are thus required for any individual leptoquark model that could be considered in a collider analysis in order to assess the size of the studied corrections. In order to facilitate such calculations we provide dedicated public numerical packages.

Novel corrections to the momentum sum rule for nuclear structure functions

We address novel features of deep inelastic lepton scattering on nuclei at small Bjorken variable xBj. In this regime the lepton-nuclear cross section involves the interference between the standard lepton-quark scattering amplitude for the deep inelastic scattering (DIS) process on a single nucleon and a two-step process where diffractive scattering on a first nucleon combines with the amplitude for DIS on a second nucleon. The phases associated with the t-channel exchanges to the diffractive amplitude can produce either a destructive or constructive quantum-mechanical interference of the one-step and two-step amplitudes. This provides a mechanism regulating the respective amounts of shadowing suppression and anti-shadowing enhancement at low xBj. Furthermore, the standard leading-twist operator product and handbag diagram analyses of the forward virtual Compton amplitude on the nucleus are inapplicable, barring a conventional probabilistic interpretation. A main observable consequence is the impossibility of extracting momentum and spin sum rules from nuclear structure functions. We present numerical predictions supporting this picture and test them against DIS neutrino-nucleus and charged-lepton-nucleus scattering data.

LHC dijet angular distributions as a probe for the dimension-six triple gluon vertex

In the absence of a concrete discovery of new physics at the LHC, global analyses of the standard model effective field theory (SMEFT) are important to find and describe the impact of new physics beyond the energy reach of the LHC. Among the SMEFT operators that can be constrained via various measurements, the dimension six triple gluon operator involves neither the Higgs boson nor the top quark, yet its variation can have measurable effects on top and Higgs production. Without independent constraints on its impact, the sensitivity of measurements in the top and Higgs sectors to new physics is reduced. Previous analyses have used various techniques to constrain the influence of the triple gluon operator. We show that the dijet angular distribution is a powerful observable for probing the triple gluon operator because of the different helicity structure of the dimension-six interaction, namely the lack of a t-channel exchange term, as compared with expectations from QCD. Using this novel approach, we set the most stringent limit on the size of the triple gluon effective coupling by reinterpreting the results of a search for new phenomena in dijet events using 35.9 fb−1 of pp collision data collected at s=13 TeV performed by the CMS Collaboration.

Two-parton scattering amplitudes in the Regge limit to high loop orders

We study two-to-two parton scattering amplitudes in the high-energy limit of perturbative QCD by iteratively solving the BFKL equation. This allows us to predict the imaginary part of the amplitude to leading-logarithmic order for arbitrary t-channel colour exchange. The corrections we compute correspond to ladder diagrams with any number of rungs formed between two Reggeized gluons. Our approach exploits a separation of the two-Reggeon wavefunction, performed directly in momentum space, between a soft region and a generic (hard) region. The former component of the wavefunction leads to infrared divergences in the amplitude and is therefore computed in dimensional regularization; the latter is computed directly in two transverse dimensions and is expressed in terms of single-valued harmonic polylogarithms of uniform weight. By combining the two we determine exactly both infrared-divergent and finite contributions to the two-to-two scattering amplitude order-by-order in perturbation theory. We study the result numerically to 13 loops and find that finite corrections to the amplitude have a finite radius of convergence which depends on the colour representation of the t-channel exchange.

Scalar leptoquark pair production at hadron colliders

We revisit scalar leptoquark pair-production at hadron colliders and significantly improve the level of precision of the cross section calculations. Apart from QCD contributions, we include lepton t-channel exchange diagrams that turn out to be relevant in the light of the recent B-anomalies. We evaluate all contributions at next-to-leading-order accuracy in QCD and resum, in the threshold regime, soft-gluon radiation at next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy. Our predictions consist hence in the most precise leptoquark cross section calculations available to date, and are necessary for the best exploitation of leptoquark searches at the LHC.

Strangeness Photoproduction at the BGO-OD experiment

The BGO-OD experiment at the ELSA accelerator facility uses an energy tagged bremsstrahlung photon beam to investigate the excitation structure of the nucleon. The setup consists of a highly segmented BGO calorimeter surrounding the target, with a particle tracking magnetic spectrometer at forward angles.BGO-OD is ideal for investigating low momentum transfer processes due to the acceptance and high momentum resolution at forward angles. In particular, this enables the investigation of strangeness photoproduction where t-channel exchange mechanisms play an important role. This also allows access to low momentum exchange kinematics where extended, molecular structure may manifest in reaction mechanisms.First key results at lowtindicate a cusp-like structure inK+Σ0photoproduction atW =1900 MeV, line shapes and differential cross sections for K+Λ(1405)→K+Σ0π0, and a peak structure inK0SΣ0photoproduction. The peak in theK0SΣ0channel appears consistent with meson-baryon generated states, where equivalent models have been used to describe thePCpentaquark candidates in the heavy charmed quark sector.

Strangeness Photoproduction at the BGO-OD Experiment

The BGO-OD experiment at the ELSA accelerator facility uses an energy tagged bremstrahlung photon beam to investigate the excitation structure of the nucleon. The setup consists of a highly segmented BGO calorimeter surrounding the target, with a particle tracking magnetic spectrometer at forward angles. BGO-OD is ideal for investigating low momentum transfer processes due to the acceptance and high momentum resolution at forward angles. In particular, this enables the investigation of strangeness photoproduction where t-channel exchange mechanisms play an important role. This also allows access to a kinematic region where extended, molecular structure may manifest in reaction mechanisms. The extensive strangeness photoproduction programme includes the photoproduction of neutral and charged kaons using both hydrogen and deuterium targets.