Higgs and Z-boson Production with a Jet Veto: A Technical Examination
This paper presents a detailed study on next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic (NNLL) resummations for jet-veto efficiencies in Higgs and Z-boson production at hadron colliders. The work aligns here with particle physics studies that are integral for understanding the fundamental interactions via experimental data from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and similar facilities.
The primary objective of this paper is twofold: first, to increase the precision of jet veto efficiency calculations through next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) and NNLL logarithmic resummation, and second, to provide phenomenological predictions that can be directly applied to LHC data analyses. These predictions encompass cross-section results, uncertainty estimates, and a rigorous comparison with currently utilized computational tools in high-energy physics research. The theoretical advances in this paper thus accommodate practical adjustments and considerations for experimental particle physics.
Jet vetoes are employed in collider physics to manage background noise in the quest for signatures of new physics, such as the identification of Higgs boson production processes. When searching for the Higgs boson via different decay channels, vetoing jets helps in isolating the signal of interest from dominant backgrounds like top-antitop production. However, the process is complex due to Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) radiation which leads to additional partonic emissions contributing to the jet counts. This necessitates an advanced understanding of these processes to ensure suitable modeling of background rejection without significant loss of signal.
For theorists, the challenge lies in predicting the fraction of signal events that remain post-jet veto—a task made mathematically convoluted by resummation and perturbation theory. This paper addresses this with NNLO and NNLL resummations. The inclusion of terms up to NNLL accuracy significantly reduces the theoretical uncertainties that are inherent in jet veto processes because it involves summing over large logarithms that would otherwise destabilize fixed-order predictions in QCD.
The authors employ the independent emission model to treat emissions effectively as independent entities unless they meet configurations that lead to clustering into single jets. By doing so, they explore jet veto efficiencies through functional integrations that adapt different leading logarithmic strategies. A pivotal point in their treatment is the relation drawn between jet veto resummation and transverse momentum (pt​) resummation of the Higgs or Z-bosons, unraveling complexities related to soft gluon emissions throughout various kinematic regimes.
Numerically enhanced predictions and assessments show improved compatibility with event simulations from tools like POWHEG interfaced with Pythia, as used in experimental analyses. The results highlight reduced uncertainties for jet-veto efficiencies in the Higgs decay modes and vector boson processes, which is crucial for collider experiments employing such data in new physics explorations. Furthermore, the study speculates on calculations with various jet radii, quantifying systematic effects and their control compared to previously established methods.
The theoretical contributions within this paper are illustrative of critical developments in jet physics for high-energy collider experiments. The intricate blend of resummation techniques and careful matching with fixed-order calculations manifests in predictions with significant implications for current and future experimental setups. This research enriches our computational repertoire for precision measurements at hadron colliders while augmenting our theoretical understandings in the nuances of high-energy particle processes.
While the authors have indelibly contributed to precision phenomenology for LHC physics within this work, future advancements might entail adaptations to accommodate further experiments, enhanced computational algorithms, and broadly reducing theoretical uncertainties beyond NNLL precision. This reduction would require inclusion of multi-loop calculations or extending to NNLL' frameworks, further solidifying the predictive capabilities of theoretical physics in probing the underlying structure of matter. Overall, this work sets a robust foundation towards solving complex jet physics problems encountered in the LHC and potentially future collider environments.