No Arabic abstract
Triggered by ongoing dark matter searches in the top quark sector at the Large Hadron Collider we report on the calculation of the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the Standard Model process $ppto tbar{t}+ Z(to u_ell bar{ u}_ell)$. This calculation is based on matrix elements for $e^+ u_e , mu^- bar{ u}_mu , bbar{b} , u_tau bar{ u}_tau$ production and includes all non-resonant diagrams, interferences, and off-shell effects of the top quarks. Non-resonant and off-shell effects due to the finite $W$-boson width are also consistently taken into account. As it is common for such studies, we present results for both integrated and differential cross sections for a few renormalisation and factorisation scale choices and three different parton distribution functions. Already with the fairly inclusive cut selection and independently of the scale choice and the parton distribution function non-flat differential ${cal K}$-factors are obtained for $p_T^{miss}, Delta phi_{ellell}, Delta y_{ellell}, costheta_{ellell}, H_T, H^prime_T$ observables that are relevant for new physics searches. Good theoretical control over the Standard Model background is a fundamental prerequisite for a correct interpretation of possible signals of new physics that may arise in this channel. Thus, these observables need to be carefully reexamined in the presence of more exclusive cuts before any realistic strategies for the detection of new physics signal can be further developed.
With the goal of increasing the precision of NLO QCD predictions for the $ppto tbar{t} gamma$ process in the di-lepton top quark decay channel we present theoretical predictions for the ${cal R}= sigma_{tbar{t}gamma}/sigma_{tbar{t}}$ cross section ratio. Results for the latter together with various differential cross section ratios are given for the LHC with the Run II energy of $sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV. Fully realistic NLO computations for $tbar{t}$ and $tbar{t}gamma$ production are employed. They are based on matrix elements for $e^+ u_e mu^- bar{ u}_mu bbar{b}$ and $e^+ u_e mu^- bar{ u}_mu bbar{b}gamma$ processes and include all resonant and non-resonant diagrams, interferences, and off-shell effects of the top quarks and the $W$ gauge bosons. Various renormalisation and factorisation scale choices and parton density functions are examined to assess their impact on the cross section ratio. Depending on the transverse momentum cut on the hard photon a judicious choice of a dynamical scale allows us to obtain $1%-3%$ percent precision on ${cal R}$. Moreover, for differential cross section ratios theoretical uncertainties in the range of $1%-6%$ have been estimated. Until now such high precision predictions have only been reserved for the top quark pair production at NNLO QCD. Thus, ${cal R}$ at NLO in QCD represents a very precise observable to be measured at the LHC for example to study the top quark charge asymmetry or to probe the strength and the structure of the $t$-$bar{t}$-$gamma$ vertex. The latter can shed some light on possible new physics that can reveal itself only once sufficiently precise theoretical predictions are available.
Weakly interacting dark matter particles can be pair-produced at colliders and detected through signatures featuring missing energy in association with either QCD/EW radiation or heavy quarks. In order to constrain the mass and the couplings to standard model particles, accurate and precise predictions for production cross sections and distributions are of prime importance. In this work, we consider various simplified models with s-channel mediators. We implement such models in the FeynRules/MadGraph5_aMC@NLO framework, which allows to include higher-order QCD corrections in realistic simulations and to study their effect systematically. As a first phenomenological application, we present predictions for dark matter production in association with jets and with a top-quark pair at the LHC, at next-to-leading order accuracy in QCD, including matching/merging to parton showers. Our study shows that higher-order QCD corrections to dark matter production via s-channel mediators have a significant impact not only on total production rates, but also on shapes of distributions. We also show that the inclusion of next-to-leading order effects results in a sizeable reduction of the theoretical uncertainties.
We study the constraints on $tto u$ flavor changing neutral Higgs (FCNH) coupling, and how it may be explored further at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In the general two Higgs doublet model, such transitions can be induced by a nonzero $rho_{tu}$ Yukawa coupling. We show that such couplings can be constrained by existing searches at the LHC for $m_H$, $m_A$ and, $m_{H^+}$ in the sub-TeV range, where $H$, $A$ and $H^+$ are the exotic $CP$-even, $CP$-odd and charged scalars. We find that a dedicated $ugto t H/tA to t t bar u$ search can probe the available parameter space of $rho_{tu}$ down to a few percent level for $200,mbox{GeV} lesssim m_H,,m_A lesssim 600$ GeV, with discovery possible at high luminosity. Effects of how other extra top Yukawa couplings, such as $rho_{tc}$ and $rho_{tt}$, dilute the sensitivity of the $rho_{tu}$ probe are discussed.
We have implemented a code for Z + n jets production in ALPGEN, with Z decays into several final states, including l+ l- and t tbar. The MLM prescription is used for matching the matrix element with the parton shower, including in this way the leading soft and collinear corrections. In order to demonstrate its capabilities, we perform a combined analysis of Z -> t tbar and Z -> t tbar j production for a heavy leptophobic gauge boson. It is found that the effect of the extra jet cannot only be accounted for by a K factor multiplying the leading-order cross section. In fact, the combined analysis for Z -> t tbar and Z -> t tbar j presented improves the statistical significance of the signal by 25% (8.55 sigma versus 6.77 sigma for a Z mass of 1 TeV), compared with the results of an inclusive analysis carried out on the same sample of t tbar + t tbar j events.
We discuss lepton charge asymmetries in $t bar t$ and $t bar t gamma$ production at the LHC, which can be measured in the semileptonic decay channel $t bar t to W^+ b , W^- bar b to ell^+ u b , q bar q bar b$ (or the charge conjugate). Considering several variants of a new physics scenario with a light colour octet, it is seen that for $t bar t$ these asymmetries may have a sensitivity competitive with the dilepton asymmetry already measured. For $t bar t gamma$ the new leptonic asymmetries, as well as the $t bar t$ charge asymmetry, will reach their full potential with the high luminosity LHC upgrade. These asymmetries can pinpoint deviations at the $3sigma-4sigma$ level for new physics scenarios where the charge asymmetries already measured in $t bar t$ production agree within $1sigma$.