Two-loop Corrections Research Articles

NNLO QCD corrections to the Drell\u2013Yan cross section in models of TeV-scale gravity

The first results on the complete next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) Quantum Chromodynamic (QCD) corrections to the production of di-leptons at hadron colliders in large extra dimension models with spin-2 particles are reported in this article. In particular, we have computed these corrections to the invariant mass distribution of the di-leptons taking into account all the partonic sub-processes that contribute at NNLO. In these models, spin-2 particles couple through the energy-momentum tensor of the Standard Model with the universal coupling strength. The tensorial nature of the interaction and the presence of both quark annihilation and gluon fusion channels at the Born level make it challenging computationally and interesting phenomenologically. We have demonstrated numerically the importance of our results at Large Hadron Collider energies. The two-loop corrections contribute an additional 10% to the total cross section. We find that the QCD corrections are not only large but also important to make the predictions stable under renormalisation and factorisation scale variations, providing an opportunity to stringently constrain the parameters of the models with a spin-2 particle.

Resummation of jet veto logarithms at N3LLa+NNLO for W+W− production at the LHC

We compute the resummed on-shell $W^+ W^-$ production cross section under a jet-veto at the LHC to partial N$^3$LL order matched to the fixed order NNLO result. Differential NNLO cross sections are obtained from an implementation of $q_T$ subtraction in Sherpa. The two-loop virtual corrections to the $q \bar q \rightarrow W^+ W^-$ amplitude, used in both fixed order and resummation predictions, are extracted from the public code {\tt qqvvamp}. We perform resummation using soft collinear effective theory (SCET), with approximate beam functions where only the logarithmic terms are included at two-loop. In addition to scale uncertainties from the hard matching scale and the factorization scale, rapidity scale variations are obtained within the analytic regulator approach. Our resummation results show a decrease in the jet-veto cross-section compared to NNLO fixed order predictions, with reduced scale uncertainties compared to NNLL+NLO resummed predictions. We include the loop-induced $gg$ contribution with jet veto resummation to NLL+LO. The prediction shows good agreement with recent LHC measurements.

Hyperfine structure of S-states of muonic tritium

On the basis of quasipotential method in quantum electrodynamics we carry out a precise calculation of hyperfine splitting of S-states in muonic tritium. The one-loop and two-loop vacuum polarization corrections, relativistic effects, nuclear structure corrections in first and second orders of perturbation theory are taken into account. The contributions to hyperfine structure are obtained in integral form and calculated analytically and numerically. Obtained results for hyperfine splitting can be used for a comparison with future experimental data of CREMA collaboration.

The two-loop QCD correction to massive spin-2 resonance $$ \rightarrow q \bar{q} g $$ → q q ¯ g

Two-loop QCD correction to massive spin-2 Graviton decaying to $q ~ + ~ \bar{q}~ + ~g$ is presented considering a generic universal spin-2 coupling to the SM through the conserved energy-momentum tensor. Such a massive spin-2 particle can arise in extra-dimensional models. The ultraviolet and infrared structure of the QCD amplitudes are studied. In dimensional regularisation, the infrared pole structure is in agreement with Catani's proposal, confirming the universal factorization property of QCD amplitudes, even with the spin-2 tensorial coupling. This computation now completes the full two-loop QCD corrections for the production of a spin-2 in association with a jet.

Reducing the two-loop large-scale structure power spectrum to low-dimensional, radial integrals

Modeling the large-scale structure of the universe on nonlinear scales has the potential to substantially increase the science return of upcoming surveys by increasing the number of modes available for model comparisons. One way to achieve this is to model nonlinear scales perturbatively. Unfortunately, this involves high-dimensional loop integrals that are cumbersome to evaluate. Trying to simplify this, we show how two-loop (next-to-next-to-leading order) corrections to the density power spectrum can be reduced to low-dimensional, radial integrals. Many of those can be evaluated with a one-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform, which is significantly faster than the five-dimensional Monte-Carlo integrals that are needed otherwise. The general idea of this FFT-PT method is to switch between Fourier and position space to avoid convolutions and integrate over orientations, leaving only radial integrals. This reformulation is independent of the underlying shape of the initial linear density power spectrum and should easily accommodate features such as those from baryonic acoustic oscillations. We also discuss how to account for halo bias and redshift space distortions.

Two-loop QED corrections to the Altarelli-Parisi splitting functions

We compute the two-loop QED corrections to the Altarelli-Parisi (AP) splitting functions by using a deconstructive algorithmic Abelianization of the well-known NLO QCD corrections. We present explicit results for the full set of splitting kernels in a basis that includes the leptonic distribution functions that, starting from this order in the QED coupling, couple to the partonic densities. Finally, we perform a phenomenological analysis of the impact of these corrections in the splitting functions.

Full top quark mass dependence in Higgs boson pair production at NLO

We study the effects of the exact top-quark mass dependent two-loop corrections to Higgs boson pair production by gluon fusion at the LHC and at a 100 TeV hadron collider. We perform a detailed comparison of the full next-to-leading order result to various approximations at the level of differential distributions and also analyse non-standard Higgs self-coupling scenarios. We find that the different next-to-leading order approximations differ from the full result by up to 50 percent in relevant differential distributions. This clearly stresses the importance of the full NLO result.

The two-loop electroweak bosonic corrections to sin2⁡θeffb

The prediction of the effective electroweak mixing angle $\sin^2\theta_{\rm eff}^{\rm b}$ in the Standard Model at two-loop accuracy has now been completed by the first calculation of the bosonic two-loop corrections to the $Z{\bar b}b$ vertex. Numerical predictions are presented in the form of a fitting formula as function of $M_Z, M_W, M_H, m_t$ and $\Delta{\alpha}$, ${\alpha_{\rm s}}$. For central input values, we obtain a relative correction of $\Delta\kappa_{\rm b}^{(\alpha^2,\rm bos)} = -0.9855 \times 10^{-4}$, amounting to about a quarter of the fermionic corrections, and corresponding to $\sin^2\theta_{\rm eff}^{\rm b} = 0.232704$. The integration of the corresponding two-loop vertex Feynman integrals with up to three dimensionless parameters in Minkowskian kinematics has been performed with two approaches: (i) Sector decomposition, implemented in the packages FIESTA 3 and SecDec 3, and (ii) Mellin-Barnes representations, implemented in AMBRE 3/MB and the new package MBnumerics.

Two-body non-leptonic heavy-to-heavy decays at NNLO in QCD factorization

We evaluate in the framework of QCD factorization the two-loop vertex corrections to the decays $\bar{B}_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}^{(\ast)+} \, L^-$ and $\Lambda_b \to \Lambda_c^+ \, L^-$, where $L$ is a light meson from the set $\{\pi,\rho,K^{(\ast)},a_1\}$. These decays are paradigms of the QCD factorization approach since only the colour-allowed tree amplitude contributes at leading power. Hence they are sensitive to the size of power corrections once their leading-power perturbative expansion is under control. Here we compute the two-loop ${\cal O}(\alpha_s^2)$ correction to the leading-power hard scattering kernels, and give the results for the convoluted kernels almost completely analytically. Our newly computed contribution amounts to a positive shift of the magnitude of the tree amplitude by $\sim 2$\%. We then perform an extensive phenomenological analysis to NNLO in QCD factorization, using the most recent values for non-perturbative input parameters. Given the fact that the NNLO perturbative correction and updated values for form factors increase the theory prediction for branching ratios, while experimental central values have at the same time decreased, we reanalyze the role and potential size of power corrections by means of appropriately chosen ratios of decay channels.

Two-loop master integrals for the mixed EW-QCD virtual corrections to Drell-Yan scattering

We present the calculation of the master integrals needed for the two-loop QCDxEW corrections to $ q + \bar{q} \to l^- + l^+$ and $ q + \bar{q}' \to l^- + \overline{\nu} \, , $ for massless external particles. We treat W and Z bosons as degenerate in mass. We identify three types of diagrams, according to the presence of massive internal lines: the no-mass type, the one-mass type, and the two-mass type, where all massive propagators, when occurring, contain the same mass value. We find a basis of 49 master integrals and evaluate them with the method of the differential equations. The Magnus exponential is employed to choose a set of master integrals that obeys a canonical system of differential equations. Boundary conditions are found either by matching the solutions onto simpler integrals in special kinematic configurations, or by requiring the regularity of the solution at pseudo-thresholds. The canonical master integrals are finally given as Taylor series around d=4 space-time dimensions, up to order four, with coefficients given in terms of iterated integrals, respectively up to weight four.

Leading two-loop corrections to the Higgs boson masses in SUSY models with Dirac gauginos

We compute the two-loop O(as*at) corrections to the Higgs boson masses in supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model with Dirac gaugino masses. We rely on the effective-potential technique, allow for both Dirac and Majorana mass terms for the gluinos, and compute the corrections in both the DRbar and on-shell renormalisation schemes. We give detailed results for the MDGSSM and the MRSSM, and simple approximate formulae valid in the decoupling limit for all currently-studied variants of supersymmetric models with Dirac gluinos. These results represent the first explicit two-loop calculation of Higgs boson masses in supersymmetric models beyond the MSSM and the NMSSM.

Exact lattice supersymmetry at the quantum level for N = 2 Wess–Zumino models in 1- and 2-dimensions

Supersymmetric lattice Ward–Takahashi identities are investigated perturbatively up to two-loop corrections for super doubler approach of [Formula: see text] lattice Wess–Zumino models in 1- and 2-dimensions. In this approach, notorious chiral fermion doublers are treated as physical particles and momentum conservation is modified in such a way that lattice Leibniz rule is satisfied. The two major difficulties to keep exact lattice supersymmetry are overcome. This formulation defines, however, nonlocal field theory. Nevertheless we confirm that exact supersymmetry on the lattice is realized for all supercharges at the quantum level. Delicate issues of associativity are also discussed.

On the two-loop virtual QCD corrections to Higgs boson pair production in the standard model

We compute the next-to-leading order virtual QCD corrections to Higgs pair production via gluon fusion. We present analytic results for the two-loop contributions to the spin-0 and spin-2 form factors in the amplitude. The reducible contributions, given by the double-triangle diagrams, are evaluated exactly while the two-loop irreducible diagrams are evaluated by an asymptotic expansion in heavy top quark mass up to and including terms of $\mathcal{O}(1/m_t^8)$. Assuming that the finite top-quark mass effects are of similar size in the entire range of partonic energies we estimate that mass effects can reduce the hadronic cross section by at most $10\%$.

Quantum and thermal fluctuations in quantum mechanics and field theories from a new version of semiclassical theory

We develop a new semiclassical approach, which starts with the density matrix given by the Euclidean time path integral with fixed coinciding endpoints, and proceed by identifying classical (minimal Euclidean action) path, to be referred to as {\it flucton}, which passes through this endpoint. Fluctuations around flucton path are included, by standard Feynman diagrams, previously developed for instantons. We calculate the Green function and evaluate the one loop determinant both by direct diagonalization of the fluctuation equation, and also via the trick with the Green functions. The two-loop corrections are evaluated by explicit Feynman diagrams, and some curious cancellation of logarithmic and polylog terms is observed. The results are fully consistent with large-distance asymptotics obtained in quantum mechanics. Two classic examples -- quartic double-well and sine-Gordon potentials -- are discussed in detail, while power-like potential and quartic anharmonic oscillator are discussed in brief. Unlike other semiclassical methods, like WKB, we do not use the Schr\"{o}dinger equation, and all the steps generalize to multi-dimensional or quantum fields cases straightforwardly.

Two-loop study of the deconfinement transition in Yang-Mills theories: SU(3) and beyond

We study the confinement-deconfinement phase transition of pure Yang-Mills theories at finite temperature using a simple massive extension of standard background field methods. We generalize our recent next-to-leading-order perturbative calculation of the Polyakov loop and of the related background field effective potential for the SU(2) theory to any compact and connex Lie group with a simple Lie algebra. We discuss in detail the SU(3) theory, where the two-loop corrections yield improved values for the first-order transition temperature as compared to the one-loop result. We also show that certain one-loop artifacts of thermodynamical observables disappear at two-loop order, as was already the case for the SU(2) theory. In particular, the entropy and the pressure are positive for all temperatures. Finally, we discuss the groups SU(4) and Sp(2) which shed interesting light, respectively, on the relation between the (de)confinement of static matter sources in the various representations of the gauge group and on the use of the background field itself as an order parameter for confinement. In both cases, we obtain first-order transitions, in agreement with lattice simulations and other continuum approaches.

Two-loop electroweak vertex corrections for polarized Møller scattering

The contributions to the electron-electron-photon vertex of two-loop electroweak corrections are calculated. The relative correction to the parity-violating asymmetry of M{\o}ller scattering for the case of 11 GeV electron scattered off the electron at rest is found to be about -0.0034 and should be taken into account at future experiment MOLLER at JLab.

Induced gravity II: grand unification

As an illustration of a renormalizable, asymptotically-free model of induced gravity, we consider an $SO(10)$ gauge theory interacting with a real scalar multiplet in the adjoint representation. We show that dimensional transmutation can occur, spontaneously breaking $SO(10)$ to $SU(5){\otimes}U(1),$ while inducing the Planck mass and a positive cosmological constant, all proportional to the same scale $v$. All mass ratios are functions of the values of coupling constants at that scale. Below this scale (at which the Big Bang may occur), the model takes the usual form of Einstein-Hilbert gravity in de Sitter space plus calculable corrections. We show that there exist regions of parameter space in which the breaking results in a local minimum of the effective action, and a {\bf positive} dilaton $(\hbox{mass})^2$ from two-loop corrections associated with the conformal anomaly. Furthermore, unlike the singlet case we considered previously, some minima lie within the basin of attraction of the ultraviolet fixed point. Moreover, the asymptotic behavior of the coupling constants also lie within the range of convergence of the Euclidean path integral, so there is hope that there will be candidates for sensible vacua. Although open questions remain concerning unitarity of all such renormalizable models of gravity, it is not obvious that, in curved backgrounds such as those considered here, unitarity is violated. In any case, any violation that may remain will be suppressed by inverse powers of the reduced Planck mass.

D3-Brane Model Building and the Supertrace Rule.

A common way to obtain standard-model-like Lagrangians in string theory is to place D3-branes inside flux compactifications. The bosonic and fermionic masses and couplings of the resulting gauge theory are determined by the ten-dimensional metric and the fluxes, respectively, and the breaking of supersymmetry is soft. However, not any soft-supersymmetry-breaking Lagrangian can be obtained this way since the string theory equations of motion impose certain relations between the soft couplings. We show that for D3-branes in background fluxes, these relations imply that the sums of the squares of the boson and of the fermion masses are equal and that, furthermore, one- and two-loop quantum corrections do not spoil this equality. This makes the use of D3-branes for constructing computationally controllable models for physics beyond the standard model problematic.

Two-Loop Effects in Low-Energy Electroweak Measurements

We outline the recent results on the two-loop electroweak contributions to the electron-electron scattering cross sections and asymmetries. Although the two-loop corrections are strongly suppressed relative to the one-loop corrections, they still contribute a few percent to the cross section, and even this small contribution cannot be ignored at for ultra-precision experiments such as MOLLER planned at JLab. The NNLO calculation techniques we developed for the electron-electron scattering can be adapted for electron-proton processes, electron-positron collisions, and other low-energy experiments involving leptons.

High Precision Prediction for Mh in the MSSM

The new particle discovered at the LHC can be interpreted as the lightest CP-even Higgs boson of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), where Mh denotes its mass. The experimental precision of this mass has reached the level below ∼ 500 MeV. In the MSSM Mh can directly be predicted from the other parameters of the model. The accuracy of this prediction should at least match the one of the experimental result. The relatively high mass value of about 125 GeV has led to many investigations where the scalar top quarks are in the multi-TeV range. We review the recent improvement in the prediction for Mh in the MSSM that has been reached by combining the existing fixed-order result, comprising the full one-loop and leading and subleading two-loop corrections, with a resummation of the leading and subleading logarithmic contributions from the scalar top sector to all orders.