Search

We present a fully automated implementation of next-to-leading order electroweak (NLO EW) corrections in the logarithmic approximation in OpenLoops. For energies above the electroweak scale NLO EW corrections are logarithmically enhanced and in tails of kinematic distributions of crucial LHC processes yield correction factors of several tens of percent. The implementation of the logarithmic Sudakov EW approximation in the amplitude generator OpenLoops is fully general, largely model independent, it supports the computation of EW corrections to resonant processes, and it is suitable for extensions to the two-loop NNLO EW level. The implementation is based on an efficient representation of the logarithmic approximation in terms of an effective vertex approach. Investigating a set of representative LHC processes we find excellent agreement between the logarithmic approximation and full one-loop results in observables where the assumptions of the EW Sudakov approximation are fulfilled., Comment: 50 pages, 22 figures

We present a next-to-leading-order (NLO) study of the process $pp \; ( \to \{ h_1, h_2 \}) \to t\bar{t} + X$ in the 1-Higgs-singlet extension of the Standard Model with an additional heavy Higgs boson $h_2$ that mixes with the light Higgs boson $h_1$. This process is subject to large interference effects between loop-induced Higgs-mediated amplitudes and the QCD continuum background which tend to overcompensate any resonance contributions. A reliable modelling of the resulting top-pair invariant mass shapes requires the inclusion of higher-order QCD corrections, which are presented here. The computation of these NLO corrections is exact in all contributions but in the class of non-factorisable two-loop diagrams which are included in an approximate way such that all infrared singular limits are preserved. We present numerical results for several benchmark points with heavy Higgs masses in the range $700$--$3000$ GeV considering the production of stable top quarks. We find that the interference effects dominate the BSM signal yielding sharp dip structures instead of resonance peaks. The significance and excludability of the BSM effect is explored for the LHC Run 2, Run 3 and HL-LHC., Comment: 32 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables, version to appear in JHEP

The increasingly high accuracy of top-quark studies at the LHC calls for a theoretical description of $t\bar t$ production and decay in terms of exact matrix elements for the full $2\to 6$ process that includes the off-shell production and the chain decays of $t\bar t$ and $tW$ intermediate states, together with their quantum interference. Corresponding NLO QCD calculations matched to parton showers are available for the case of dileptonic channels and are implemented in the bb4l Monte Carlo generator, which is based on the resonance-aware POWHEG method. In this paper, we present the first NLOPS predictions of this kind for the case of semileptonic channels. In this context, the interplay of off-shell $t\bar t+tW$ production with various other QCD and electroweak subprocesses that yield the same semileptonic final state is discussed in detail. On the technical side, we improve the resonance-aware POWHEG procedure by means of new resonance histories based on matrix elements, which enable a realistic separation of $t\bar t$ and $tW$ contributions. Moreover, we introduce a general approach which makes it possible to avoid certain spurious terms that arise from the perturbative expansion of decay widths in any off-shell higher-order calculation, and which are large enough to jeopardise physical finite-width effects. These methods are implemented in a new version of the bb4l Monte Carlo generator, which is applicable to all dileptonic and semileptonic channels, and can be extended to fully hadronic channels. The presented results include a NLOPS comparison of off-shell against on-shell $t\bar t+tW$ production and decay, where we highlight various non-trivial aspects related to NLO and parton-shower radiation in leptonic and hadronic top decays., Comment: 78 pages, 20 figures, 6 tables

We consider $W^\pm Z$ production in hadronic collisions and present high-precision predictions in QCD and electroweak (EW) perturbation theory matched to parton showers. To this end, we match next-to-next-to-leading order QCD corrections to parton showers using the MiNNLO$_{\rm PS}$ method and consistently combine them with next-to-leading order EW corrections matched to parton showers. This is the first time such accuracy in the event generation is achieved for any collider process, and we study in detail the impact of different choices in the combination of QCD and EW corrections as well as QCD and QED showers. Spin correlations, interferences and off-shell effects are retained by considering the full leptonic processes $pp \to \ell^+\ell^-\ell'^\pm \nu_\ell'$ with $\ell'\neq\ell$ and $\ell'=\ell$ without approximations, and the matching to QED radiation is performed preserving the resonance structure of the process. We find that NNLO QCD predictions including QCD and QED shower effects provide a very good approximation in the bulk-region of the phase space, while EW effects become increasingly important in the high-energy tails of kinematic distributions. Our default predictions are in excellent agreement with recent ATLAS data., Comment: 32 pages, 8 figures

We present next-to-leading order QCD and electroweak (EW) theory predictions for $V+2\,$jet production, with $V=Z,W^{\pm}$, considering both the QCD and EW production modes and their interference. We focus on phase-space regions where $V+2\,$jet production is dominated by vector-boson fusion, and where these processes yield the dominant irreducible backgrounds in searches for invisible Higgs boson decays. Predictions at parton level are provided together with detailed prescriptions for their implementation in experimental analyses based on the reweighting of Monte Carlo samples. The key idea is that, exploiting accurate data for $W+2\,$jet production in combination with a theory-driven extrapolation to the $Z+2\,$jet process can lead to a determination of the irreducible background at the few-percent level. Particular attention is devoted to the estimate of the residual theoretical uncertainties due to unknown higher-order QCD and EW effects and their correlation between the different $V+2\,$jet processes, which is key to improve the sensitivity to invisible Higgs decays., Comment: 26 pages, 16 Figures

We present a calculation of the next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD corrections to gluon-induced electroweak gauge boson pair production, $gg \to ZZ$ and $gg \to W^+W^-$, matched to the PYTHIA8 parton shower in the POWHEG approach. The calculation consistently incorporates the continuum background, the Higgs-mediated $gg\to H^* \to VV$ process, and their interference. We consider leptonic decay modes of the massive vector bosons and retain offshell and non-resonant contributions. The processes considered are loop-induced at leading order and thus contain two-loop virtual contributions as well as loop-squared real contributions. Parton-shower effects are found to be marginal in inclusive observables and quite sizeable in observables that are exclusive in additional jet radiation. The Monte Carlo generator presented here allows for realistic experimental effects to be incorporated in state-of-the-art precision analyses of diboson production and of the Higgs boson in the offshell regime., Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, 1 table

We present the first combination of NNLO QCD and NLO EW corrections for vector-boson pair production at the LHC. We consider all final states with two, three and four charged leptons, including resonant and non-resonant diagrams, spin correlations and off-shell effects. Detailed predictions are discussed for three representative channels corresponding to $W^+W^-$, $W^{\pm}Z$ and $ZZ$ production. Both QCD and EW corrections are very significant, and the details of their combination can play a crucial role to achieve the level of precision demanded by experimental analyses. In this context we point out nontrivial issues that arise at large transverse momenta, where the EW corrections are strongly enhanced by Sudakov logarithms and the QCD corrections can feature so-called giant K-factors. Our calculations have been carried out in the MATRIX+OpenLoops framework and can be extended to the production of an arbitrary colour singlet in hadronic collisions, provided that the required two-loop QCD amplitudes are available. Combined NNLO QCD and NLO EW predictions for the full set of massive diboson processes will be made publicly available in the next release of MATRIX and will be instrumental in advancing precision diboson studies and new-physics searches at the LHC and future hadron colliders., Comment: 34 pages, 15 figures, 4 tables; V2: matches version published in JHEP

We present the new version of OpenLoops, an automated generator of tree and one-loop scattering amplitudes based on the open-loop recursion. One main novelty of OpenLoops 2 is the extension of the original algorithm from NLO QCD to the full Standard Model, including electroweak (EW) corrections from gauge, Higgs and Yukawa interactions. In this context, among several new features, we discuss the systematic bookkeeping of QCD-EW interferences, a flexible implementation of the complex-mass scheme for processes with on-shell and off-shell unstable particles, a special treatment of on-shell and off-shell external photons, and efficient scale variations. The other main novelty is the implementation of the recently proposed on-the-fly reduction algorithm, which supersedes the usage of external reduction libraries for the calculation of tree-loop interferences. This new algorithm is equipped with an automated system that avoids Gram-determinant instabilities through analytic methods in combination with a new hybrid-precision approach based on a highly targeted usage of quadruple precision with minimal CPU overhead. The resulting significant speed and stability improvements are especially relevant for challenging NLO multi-leg calculations and for NNLO applications., Comment: 80 pages, 6 figures, 11 Tables; V2: matches version published in EPJC

We propose a procedure to cross-validate Monte Carlo implementations of the standard model effective field theory. It is based on the numerical comparison of squared amplitudes computed at specific phase-space and parameter points in pairs of implementations. Interactions are fully linearised in the effective field theory expansion. The squares of linear effective field theory amplitudes and their interference with standard-model contributions are compared separately. Such pairwise comparisons are primarily performed at tree level and a possible extension to the one-loop level is also briefly considered. We list the current standard model effective field theory implementations and the comparisons performed to date., Comment: agreement achieved under the auspices of the LHC Top and Electroweak Working Groups, and of the LHC Higgs Cross Section Working Group

In this proceedings we compare phenomenological predictions for differential distributions in top-quark pair production at the LHC. In particular we consider NNLO QCD fixed-order predictions and parton-level predictions based on NLO QCD multi-jet merging following the MEPS@NLO scheme. In both predictions NLO electroweak (EW) corrections are incorporated in different approximations. We focus on several transverse-momentum distributions and on the top-quark invariant mass distribution, both highly relevant for the ongoing physics program at the LHC. We discuss comparisons between the different considered approximations and their advantages and disadvantages for different distributions., Comment: 5 pages plus references, 3 figures, Proceedings of the 11th International Workshop on Top Quark Physics, Bad Neuenahr, Germany, September 2018

We discuss the inclusion of next-to-next-to leading order electromagnetic and of next-to leading order electroweak corrections to the leptonic decays of weak gauge and Higgs bosons in the SHERPA event generator. To this end, we modify the Yennie-Frautschi-Suura scheme for the resummation of soft photon corrections and its systematic improvement with fixed-order calculations, to also include the effect of virtual corrections due to the ex- change of weak gauge bosons. We detail relevant technical aspects of our implementation and present numerical results for observables relevant for high-precision Drell-Yan and Higgs boson production and decay simula- tions at the LHC., Comment: 35 pages, 8 figures

We provide a precise description of the Higgs boson transverse momentum distribution including top and bottom quark contributions, that is valid for transverse momenta in the range mb < pt < mt, where mb and mt are the bottom and top quark masses. This description is based on a combination of fixed next-to-leading order (NLO) results with next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic (NNLL) transverse momentum resummation. We show that ambiguities in the resummation procedure for the b-quark loops are of the same order as the related fixed-order uncertainties. We conclude that the current uncertainty in the top-bottom interference contribution to the Higgs transverse momentum spectrum is O(20%)., Comment: 28 pages, 7 figures; version published in JHEP

We consider QCD radiative corrections to Higgs boson pair production through gluon fusion in proton collisions. We combine the exact next-to-leading order (NLO) contribution, which features two-loop virtual amplitudes with the full dependence on the top quark mass $M_t$, with the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) corrections computed in the large-$M_t$ approximation. The latter are improved with different reweighting techniques in order to account for finite-$M_t$ effects beyond NLO. Our reference NNLO result is obtained by combining one-loop double-real corrections with full $M_t$ dependence with suitably reweighted real--virtual and double-virtual contributions evaluated in the large-$M_t$ approximation. We present predictions for inclusive cross sections in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=13, 14, 27 and 100TeV and we discuss their uncertainties due to missing $M_t$ effects. Our approximated NNLO corrections increase the NLO result by an amount ranging from +12% at $\sqrt{s}$=13TeV to +7% at $\sqrt{s}$=100TeV, and the residual uncertainty from missing $M_t$ effects is estimated to be at the few percent level. Our calculation is fully differential in the Higgs boson pair and the associated jet activity: we also present predictions for various differential distributions at $\sqrt{s}$=14 and 100TeV. Our results represent the most advanced perturbative prediction available to date for this process., Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures

We present theoretical predictions for the production of top-quark pairs in association with jets at the LHC including electroweak (EW) corrections. First, we present and compare differential predictions at the fixed-order level for $t \bar t$ and $t \bar t+$jet production at the LHC considering the dominant NLO EW corrections of order $\mathcal{O}(\alpha_S^2 \alpha)$ and $\mathcal{O}(\alpha_S^3 \alpha)$ respectively together with all additional subleading Born and one-loop contributions. The NLO EW corrections are enhanced at large energies and in particular alter the shape of the top transverse momentum distribution, whose reliable modelling is crucial for many searches for new physics at the energy frontier. Based on the fixed-order results we motivate an approximation of the EW corrections valid at the percent level, that allows us to readily incorporate the EW corrections in the MEPS@NLO framework of Sherpa combined with OpenLoops. Subsequently, we present multi-jet merged parton-level predictions for inclusive top-pair production incorporating NLO QCD+EW corrections to $t \bar t$ and $t \bar t+$jet. Finally, we compare at the particle-level against a recent 8 TeV measurement of the top transverse momentum distribution performed by ATLAS in the lepton+jet channel. We find very good agreement between the Monte Carlo prediction and the data when the EW corrections are included., Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures

This documents the proceedings from a workshop titled `Illuminating Standard candles at the LHC: V+jets' held at Imperial College London on 25th-26th April 2017. It summarises the numerous contributions to the workshop, from the experimental overview of V+jets measurements at CMS and ATLAS and their role in searching for physics beyond the Standard Model to the status of higher order perturbative calculations to these processes and their inclusion in state of the art Monte Carlo simulations. An executive summary of the ensuing discussions including a list of outcomes and wishlist for future consideration is also presented., Comment: Proceedings for the workshop on 'Illuminating standard candles a the LHC: V+jets' held at Imperial College London on April 25th-26th

Measurements of $t\bar{t} H$ production in the $H\to b\bar{b}$ channel depend in a critical way on the theoretical uncertainty associated with the irreducible $t\bar{t}+b$-jet background. In this paper, analysing the various topologies that account for $b$-jet production in association with a $t\bar{t}$ pair, we demonstrate that the process at hand is largely driven by final-state $g\to b\bar{b}$ splittings. We also show that in five-flavour simulations based on $t\bar{t}+$multi-jet merging $b$-jet production is mostly driven by the parton shower, while matrix elements play only a marginal role in the description of $g\to b\bar{b}$ splittings. Based on these observations we advocate the use of NLOPS simulations of $pp\to t\bar{t}b\bar{b}$ in the four-flavour scheme, and we present a new POWHEG generator of this kind. Predictions and uncertainties for $t\bar{t}+b$-jet observables at the 13 TeV LHC are presented both for the case of stable top quarks and with spin-correlated top decays. Besides QCD scale variations we consider also theoretical uncertainties related to the POWHEG matching method and to the parton shower modelling, with emphasis on $g\to b\bar{b}$ splittings. In general, matching and shower uncertainties turn out to be remarkably small. This is confirmed also by a tuned comparison against Sherpa+OpenLoops., Comment: 43 pages, 15 figures. Version accepted for publication in EPJC. Results unchanged. Figs. 9-10 updated

We compute the next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the production of Higgs bosons with large transverse momentum $p_\perp \gg 2 m_t$ at the LHC. To accomplish this, we combine the two-loop amplitudes for processes $gg \to Hg$, $qg \to Hq$ and $q \bar q \to H g$, recently computed in the approximation of nearly massless top quarks, with the numerical calculation of the squared one-loop amplitudes for $gg \to Hgg$, $q g \to H q g$ and $q \bar q \to Hgg$ processes. The latter computation is performed with OpenLoops. We find that the QCD corrections to the Higgs transverse momentum distribution at very high $p_\perp$ are large but quite similar to the QCD corrections obtained for point-like $Hgg$ coupling. Our result removes one of the largest sources of theoretical uncertainty in the description of high-$p_\perp$ Higgs boson production and opens a way to use the high-$p_\perp$ region to search for physics beyond the Standard Model., Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures; V2: version accepted by PLB, results unchanged

We review exclusive top pair production including decays at a future high-energy lepton collider, both in the threshold region and for higher energies. For the continuum process, we take complete QCD next-to-leading order matrix elements for the $2\to 6$ process with leptonic W decays into account. At threshold, we match the fixed-order relativistic QCD-NLO cross section to a nonrelativistic cross section with next-to-leading logarithmic (NLL) threshold resummation implemented via a form factor., Comment: Talk presented at the International Workshop on Future Linear Colliders (LCWS2017), Strasbourg, France, 23-27 October 2017. C17-10-23.2

We present the HiggsPO UFO model for Monte Carlo event generation of electroweak $VH$ and VBF Higgs production processes at NLO in QCD in the formalism of Higgs pseudo-observables (PO). We illustrate the use of this tool by studying the QCD corrections, matched to a parton shower, for several benchmark points in the Higgs PO parameter space. We find that, while being sizable and thus important to be considered in realistic experimental analyses, the QCD higher-order corrections largely factorize. As an additional finding, based on the NLO results, we advocate to consider 2D distributions of the two-jet azimuthal-angle difference and the leading jet $p_T$ for new physics searches in VBF Higgs production. The HiggsPO UFO model is publicly available., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

We present the first NLO QCD+EW predictions for Higgs boson production in association with a l nu or l+ l- pair plus zero or one jets at the LHC. Fixed-order NLO QCD+EW calculations are combined with a QCD+QED parton shower using the recently developed resonance-aware method in the POWHEG framework. Moreover, applying the improved MINLO technique to H l nu and H l+ l- production at NLO QCD+EW, we obtain predictions that are NLO accurate for observables with both zero or one resolved jet. This approach permits also to capture higher-order effects associated with the interplay of EW corrections and QCD radiation. The behavior of EW corrections is studied for various kinematic distributions, relevant for experimental analyses of Higgsstrahlung processes at the 13 TeV LHC. Exact NLO EW corrections are complemented with approximate analytic formulae that account for the leading and next-to-leading Sudakov logarithms in the high-energy regime. In the tails of transverse-momentum distributions, relevant for analyses in the boosted Higgs regime, the Sudakov approximation works well, and NLO EW effects can largely exceed the ten percent level. Our predictions are based on the POWHEX BOX RES + OpenLoops framework in combination with the Pythia 8.1 parton shower., Comment: 33 pages + appendixes. Replaced with the JHEP version

We compute next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the top-bottom interference contribution to H+j production at the LHC. To achieve this, we combine the recent computation of the two-loop amplitudes for gg -> Hg and qg -> Hq, performed in the approximation of a small b-quark mass, and the numerical calculation of the squared one-loop amplitudes for gg -> Hgg and qg -> Hqg performed within OpenLoops. We find that QCD corrections to the interference are large and similar to the QCD corrections to the top-mediated Higgs production cross section. We also observe a significant reduction in the mass-renormalization scheme uncertainty, once the NLO QCD prediction for the interference is employed., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

We present predictions for $t \bar t$ and $t \bar t H$ production and decay at future lepton colliders including non-resonant and interference contributions up to next-to-leading order (NLO) in perturbative QCD. The obtained precision predictions are necessary for a future precise determination of the top-quark Yukawa coupling, and allow for top-quark phenomenology in the continuum at an unprecedented level of accuracy. Simulations are performed with the automated NLO Monte-Carlo framework WHIZARD interfaced to the OpenLoops matrix element generator., Comment: 42 pages, 21 figures

In this contribution recent results regarding the NLO electroweak corrections for vector boson production in association with jets are presented. Besides discussing the phenomenology of the fixed-order results, their corporation in existing NLO QCD parton shower matched and merged calculations, which can directly be used in experimental analyses, will be shown., Comment: Talk presented at Fourth Annual Large Hadron Collider Physics conference (LHCP2016), 13-18 June 2016, Lund, Sweden (10 pages, 5 figures)

We present a Monte Carlo generator that implements significant theoretical improvements in the simulation of top-quark pair production and decay at the LHC. Spin correlations and off-shell effects in top-decay chains are described in terms of exact matrix elements for $p p \to \ell^+\nu_{\scriptscriptstyle\ell}\, l^-\bar{\nu}_{\scriptscriptstyle l} b \bar{b}$ at NLO QCD, where the leptons $\ell$ and $l$ belong to different families, and $b$ quarks are massive. Thus, the contributions from $t\bar{t}$ and $Wt$ single-top production as well as their quantum interference are fully included. Matrix elements are matched to the Pythia8 parton shower using a recently proposed method that allows for a consistent treatment of resonances in the POWHEG framework. These theoretical improvements are especially important for the interpretation of precision measurements of the top-quark mass, for single-top analyses in the $Wt$ channel, and for $t\bar{t}$ and $Wt$ backgrounds in the presence of jet vetoes or cuts that enhance off-shell effects. The new generator is based on a process-independent interface of the OpenLoops amplitude generator with the POWHEGBOX framework., Comment: 49 pages, 22 figures

We report on the first fully differential calculation for double Higgs boson production through gluon fusion in hadron collisions up to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in QCD perturbation theory. The calculation is performed in the heavy-top limit of the Standard Model, and in the phenomenological results we focus on pp collisions at 14 TeV. We present differential distributions through NNLO for various observables including the transverse-momentum and rapidity distributions of the two Higgs bosons. NNLO corrections are at the level of 10%-25% with respect to the next-to-leading order (NLO) prediction with a residual scale uncertainty of 5%-15% and an overall mild phase-space dependence. Only at NNLO the perturbative expansion starts to converge yielding overlapping scale uncertainty bands between NNLO and NLO in most of the phase-space. The calculation includes NLO predictions for pp -> HH+jet+X. Corrections to the corresponding distributions exceed 50% with a residual scale dependence of 20%-30%., Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures

We discuss how the leading electroweak Higgs production processes at the LHC, namely vector-boson fusion and Higgs+W/Z associated production, can be characterized in generic extensions of the Standard Model by a proper set of pseudo-observables (PO). We analyze the symmetry properties of these PO and their relation with the PO set appearing in Higgs decays. We discuss in detail the kinematical studies necessary to extract the production PO from data, and present a first estimate of the LHC sensitivity on these observables in the high-luminosity phase. The impact of QCD corrections and the kinematical studies necessary to test the validity of the momentum expansion at the basis of the PO decomposition are also discussed., Comment: 34 pages, 12 figures, 1 table

We present next-to-leading order (NLO) predictions including QCD and electroweak (EW) corrections for the production and decay of off-shell electroweak vector bosons in association with up to two jets at the 13 TeV LHC. All possible dilepton final states with zero, one or two charged leptons that can arise from off-shell W and Z bosons or photons are considered. All predictions are obtained using the automated implementation of NLO QCD+EW corrections in the OpenLoops matrix-element generator combined with the Munich and Sherpa Monte Carlo frameworks. Electroweak corrections play an especially important role in the context of BSM searches, due to the presence of large EW Sudakov logarithms at the TeV scale. In this kinematic regime, important observables such as the jet transverse momentum or the total transverse energy are strongly sensitive to multijet emissions. As a result, fixed-order NLO QCD+EW predictions are plagued by huge QCD corrections and poor theoretical precision. To remedy this problem we present an approximate method that allows for a simple and reliable implementation of NLO EW corrections in the MEPS@NLO multijet merging framework. Using this general approach we present an inclusive simulation of vector-boson production in association with jets that guarantees NLO QCD+EW accuracy in all phase space regions involving up to two resolved jets., Comment: 42 pages, 24 figures. V2: version accepted for publication in JHEP, results unchanged, appendix added discussing in detail multijet merging systematic uncertainties in the TeV range

We present the calculation of the electroweak corrections for squark-antisquark pair production at the LHC within the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. Taking into account all possible chirality and light-flavor configurations, we evaluate the NLO EW corrections, which are of O(a_s^2 a), as well as the subleading tree-level contributions of O(a_s a) and O(a^2). Numerical results are presented for several scans in the SUSY parameter space and relevant differential distributions are investigated. The impact of the electroweak corrections is nonnegligible and strongly depends on the chirality configuration of the produced squarks. Our analysis includes a discussion of photon-gluon initiated processes with a focus on the impact of the corresponding large PDF uncertainties., Comment: 33 pages, 12 figures; V2: Original results unchanged. Various minor modifications. Matches version published in JHEP

In this talk we present a fully automated implementation of next-to-leading order electroweak (NLO EW) corrections in OpenLoops together with Sherpa and Munich. As a first application, we present NLO QCD+EW predictions for the production of positively charged W bosons in association with up to three jets and for the production of a Z boson or photon in association with one jet., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, proceedings for Moriond QCD 2015

We present a fully automated implementation of next-to-leading order electroweak (NLO EW) corrections in the OpenLoops matrix-element generator combined with the Sherpa and Munich Monte Carlo frameworks. The process-independent character of the implemented algorithms opens the door to NLO QCD+EW simulations for a vast range of Standard Model processes, up to high particle multiplicity, at current and future colliders. As a first application, we present NLO QCD+EW predictions for the production of positively charged on-shell W bosons in association with up to three jets at the Large Hadron Collider. At the TeV energy scale, due to the presence of large Sudakov logarithms, EW corrections reach the 20-40% level and play an important role for searches of physics beyond the Standard Model. The dependence of NLO EW effects on the jet multiplicity is investigated in detail, and we find that W+multijet final states feature genuinely different EW effects as compared to the case of W+1jet., Comment: 46 pages, 23 Figures; V2: Original results unchanged. Extra plots on electroweak and photon-induced Born contributions added. References added. Various minor modifications. Version accepted for publication in JHEP

We address the question how light the lightest MSSM neutralino can be as dark matter candidate in a scenario where all supersymmetric scalar particles are heavy. The hypothesis that the neutralino accounts for the observed dark matter density sets strong requirements on the supersymmetric spectrum, thus providing an handle for collider tests. In particular for a lightest neutralino below 100 GeV the relic density constraint translates into an upper bound on the Higgsino mass parameter $\mu$ in case all supersymmetric scalar particles are heavy. One can define a simplified model that highlights only the necessary features of the spectrum and their observable consequences at the LHC. Reinterpreting recent searches at the LHC we derive limits on the mass of the lightest neutralino that, in many cases, prove to be more constraining than dark matter experiments themselves., Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures

Under the hypothesis that the MSSM neutralino accounts for the observed dark matter density, we investigate how light this particle is still allowed to be after the latest LHC data. In particular, we discuss the impact of searches for events with multiple taus and missing transverse momentum, which are a generic prediction of the light neutralino scenario., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures; proceedings of the 49th Rencontres de Moriond, Electroweak Interactions and Unified Theories session (2014)

We present a complete next-to-leading order study of top-squark pair production at the LHC, including QCD and EW corrections. The calculation is performed within the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model and numerical results are presented for parameter regions compatible with the observed Higgs boson. We employ the most recent parton distribution functions including QED corrections and we find NLO EW corrections to the inclusive stop-pair production cross section up to $25 - 30\%$ compared to the leading-order prediction. Besides corrections to inclusive cross sections also important kinematic distributions are investigated., Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures. Version published in JHEP. The numerical discussion in Section 3 has been extended. References have been added

We investigate the current status of the light neutralino dark matter scenario within the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) taking into account latest results from the LHC. A discussion of the relevant constraints, in particular from the dark matter relic abundance, leads us to a manageable simplified model defined by a subset of MSSM parameters. Within this simplified model we reinterpret a recent search for electroweak supersymmetric particle production based on a signature including multi-taus plus missing transverse momentum performed by the ATLAS collaboration. In this way we derive stringent constraints on the light neutralino parameter space. In combination with further experimental information from the LHC, such as dark matter searches in the monojet channel and constraints on invisible Higgs decays, we obtain a lower bound on the lightest neutralino mass of about 24 GeV. This limit is stronger than any current limit set by underground direct dark matter searches or indirect detection experiments. With a mild improvement of the sensitivity of the multi-tau search, light neutralino dark matter can be fully tested up to about 30 GeV., Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures. v2: version published in JHEP

In this paper we present an analysis at NLO of the contribution from squark-squark production to the experimental signature 2j + 2l + missing E_T (+X) with opposite-sign same flavor leptons, taking into account decays and experimental cuts. We consider the case in which one squark decays directly into the lightest neutralino chi^0_1 and the other one into the second lightest neutralino and subsequently into l^+l^-chi^0_1 via an intermediate slepton. On one hand we study effects of the NLO corrections on invariant mass distributions which can be used for future parameter determination. On the other hand we analyze the impact on predictions for cut-and-count searches using this experimental signature., Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures

We present the analysis of the signature 2j + ETmiss (+X) via squark-squark production and direct decay into the lightest neutralino, pp -> squark squark -> j j chi_1^0 chi_1^0 (+X), in next-to-leading order QCD within the framework of the minimal supersymmetric standard model. In our approximation the produced squarks are treated on shell. Thus, the calculation of production and decay factorizes. In this way, we provide a consistent, fully differential calculation of NLO QCD factorizable corrections to the given processes. Clustering final states into partonic jets, we investigate the experimental inclusive signature 2j + ETmiss for several benchmark scenarios. We compare resulting differential distributions with leading-order approximations rescaled by a flat K-factor and examine a possible impact for cut-and-count searches for supersymmetry at the LHC., Comment: 42 pages, 15 figures; to be published in JHEP

We investigate the direct production of supersymmetric scalar taus at the LHC. We present the general calculation of the dominant cross section contributions for hadronic stau pair production within the MSSM, taking into account left-right mixing of the stau eigenstates. We find that b-quark annihilation and gluon fusion can enhance the cross sections by more than one order of magnitude with respect to the Drell-Yan predictions. For long-lived staus, we consider CMSSM parameter regions with such enhanced cross sections and possible consequences from recent searches. We find that regions of exceptionally small stau yields, favoured by cosmology, are in tension with a recent CMS limit on m_stau., Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, Talk given at the workshop "School and Workshops on Elementary Particle Physics and Gravity" September 4-18, 2011 Corfu, Greece

We calculate dominant cross section contributions for stau pair production at hadron colliders within the MSSM, taking into account left-right mixing of the stau eigenstates. We find that b-quark annihilation and gluon fusion can enhance the cross sections by more than one order of magnitude with respect to the Drell-Yan predictions. These additional production channels are not yet included in the common Monte Carlo analysis programs and have been neglected in experimental analyses so far. For long-lived staus, we investigate differential distributions and prospects for their stopping in the collider detectors. New possible strategies are outlined to determine the mass and width of the heavy CP-even Higgs boson H0. Scans of the relevant regions in the CMSSM are performed and predictions are given for the current experiments at the LHC and the Tevatron. The obtained insights allow us to propose collider tests of cosmologically motivated scenarios with long-lived staus that have an exceptionally small thermal relic abundance., Comment: 49 pages, 13 figures; v2: references added, typos corrected, text streamlined, results unchanged

We study the determination of supersymmetric parameters at the LHC from a global fit including cross sections and edges of kinematic distributions. For illustration, we focus on a minimal supergravity scenario and discuss how well it can be constrained at the LHC operating at 7 and 14 TeV collision energy, respectively. We find that the inclusion of cross sections greatly improves the accuracy of the SUSY parameter determination, and allows to reliably extract model parameters even in the initial phase of LHC data taking with 7 TeV collision energy and 1/fb integrated luminosity. Moreover, cross section information may be essential to study more general scenarios, such as those with non-universal gaugino masses, and distinguish them from minimal, universal, models., Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures