Anti-$k_T$ jet function at next-to-next-to-leading order

Jets constructed via clustering algorithms (e.g., anti-$k_T$, soft-drop) have been proposed for many precision measurements, such as the strong coupling $alpha_s$ and the nucleon intrinsic dynamics. However, the theoretical accuracy is affected by missing QCD corrections at higher orders for the jet functions in the associated factorization theorems. Their calculation is complicated by the jet clustering procedure. In this work, we propose a method to evaluate jet functions at higher orders in QCD. The calculation involves the phase space sector decomposition with suitable soft subtractions. As a concrete example, we present the quark-jet function using the anti-$k_T$ algorithm with E-scheme recombination at next-to-next-to-leading order.

Quark Transverse Parton Distribution at the Next-to-Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order

We report a calculation of the perturbative matching coefficients for the transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution functions for quark at the next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD, which involves calculation of non-standard Feynman integrals with rapidity divergence. We introduce a set of generalized Integration-By-Parts equations, which allows an algorithmic evaluation of such integrals using the machinery of modern Feynman integral calculation.

The QCD Phase Diagram at Nonzero Temperature, Baryon and Isospin Chemical Potentials in Random Matrix Theory

We introduce a random matrix model with the symmetries of QCD at finite temperature and chemical potentials for baryon number and isospin. We analyze the phase diagram of this model in the chemical potential plane for different temperatures and quark masses. We find a rich phase structure with five different phases separated by both first and second order lines. The phases are characterized by the pion condensate and the chiral condensate for each of the flavors. In agreement with lattice simulations, we find that in the phase with zero pion condensate the critical temperature depends in the same way on the baryon number chemical potential and on the isospin chemical potential. At nonzero quark mass, we remarkably find that the critical end point at nonzero temperature and baryon chemical potential is split in two by an arbitrarily small isospin chemical potential. As a consequence, there are two crossovers that separate the hadronic phase from the quark-gluon plasma phase at high temperature. Detailed analytical results are obtained at zero temperature and in the chiral limit.

Thermodynamics of (2+1)-flavor strongly interacting matter at nonzero isospin

We investigate the phase structure of strongly interacting matter at non-vanishing isospin before the onset of pion condensation in the framework of the unquenched Polyakov-Quark-Meson model with 2+1 quark flavors. We show results for the order parameters and all relevant thermodynamic quantities. In particular, we obtain a moderate change of the pressure with isospin at vanishing baryon chemical potential, whereas the chiral condensate decreases more appreciably. We compare the effective model to recent lattice data for the decrease of the pseudo-critical temperature with the isospin chemical potential. We also demonstrate the major role played by the value of the pion mass in the curvature of the transition line, and the need for lattice results with a physical pion mass. Limitations of the model at nonzero chemical potential are also discussed.

Dipole model at Next-to-Leading Order meets HERA data

Deep inelastic scattering (DIS) total cross section data at small-x as measured by the HERA experiments is well described by Balitsky-Kovchegov (BK) evolution in the leading order dipole picture. Recently the full Next-to-Leading Order (NLO) dipole picture total cross sections have become available for DIS, and a working factorization scheme has been devised which subtracts the soft gluon divergence present at NLO. We report our recently published work in which we make the first comparisons of the NLO DIS total cross sections to HERA data. The non-perturbative initial condition to BK evolution is fixed by fitting the HERA reduced cross section data. As the NLO results for the DIS total cross section are currently available only in the massless quark limit, we also fit a light-quark-only cross section constructed with a parametrization of published total and heavy quark data. We find an excellent description of the HERA data. Since the full NLO BK equation is computationally expensive, we use a number of beyond LO prescriptions for the evolution that include most important higher order corrections enhanced by large transverse logarithms, including the recent version of the equation formulated in terms of the target momentum fraction.