Search

We introduce HighTEA, a new paradigm for deploying fully-differential next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) calculations for collider observables. In principle, any infrared safe observable can be computed and, with very few restrictions, the user has complete freedom in defining their calculation's setup. For example, one can compute generic n-dimensional distributions, can define kinematic variables and factorization/renormalization scales, and can modify the strong coupling and parton distributions. HighTEA operates on the principle of analyzing precomputed events. It has all the required hardware and software infrastructure such that users only need to request their calculation via the internet before receiving the results, typically within minutes, in the form of a histogram. No specialized knowledge or computing infrastructure is required to fully utilize HighTEA, which could be used by both experts in particle physics and the general public. The current focus is on all classes of LHC processes. Extensions beyond NNLO, or to $e^+e^-$ colliders, are natural next steps., Comment: 15 pages. HighTEA access and additional information: https://www.precision.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/hightea/

In this work we perform the first ever calculation of jet event shapes at hadron colliders at next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) in QCD. The inclusion of higher order corrections removes the shape difference observed between data and next-to-leading order predictions. The theory uncertainty at NNLO is comparable to, or slightly larger than, existing measurements. Except for narrow kinematical ranges where all-order resummation becomes important, the NNLO predictions for the event shapes considered in the present work are reliable. As a prime application of the results derived in this work we provide a detailed investigation of the prospects for the precision determination of the strong coupling constant and its running through TeV scales from LHC data., Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, numerical results are provided here: https://www.precision.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/results/hf-jets ; v2: updated references and acknowledgements, minor textual changes

State-of-the-art analyses of W+c-jet production at the LHC require precise predictions. In the present work, we study in detail the impact of off-diagonal CKM elements up to next-to-next-to leading order in QCD, the influence of flavored jet algorithms, and the size of electroweak corrections. In addition, we also investigate phenomenological aspects related to the exact definition of the process. We find that all these effects can be of the order of several per cent for both the fiducial cross section and differential distributions. They are, therefore, very relevant for the interpretation of current and upcoming measurements., Comment: 23 pages, 31 pdf Figures. Matches published version

In this work we derive three sets of non-perturbative fragmentation functions, with uncertainties, for $B$-hadrons, $J/\psi$'s and muons resulting from semileptonic $B$ decays. All three sets are with next-to-next-to leading order accuracy and include next-to-next-to leading logarithmic soft gluon resummation. The novel feature of these new sets is that they are fully consistent with our formalism for next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) calculations for final states with identified $B$, $J/\psi$ or a $\mu$. We employ the fragmentation functions derived in this work to make state of the art predictions for such final states in $t\bar t$ events at the LHC. A special emphasis is placed on observables sensitive to the top quark mass. The present work opens the door for many LHC applications, like, open $B$ production or $B$ production in association with bosons., Comment: 46 pages, 59 figures, matches published version

Flavour tagging is technically challenging on the experimental side. However, it suffers from a more fundamental problem from the theoretical point of view, in particular when implemented in fixed-order perturbation theory. It turns out that an infrared-safe definition of a flavoured jet is intricate due to the singularities induced by the emission of flavoured quark-anti-quark pairs of negligible energy. Although this issue has been addressed by a modification of the standard $k_T$ jet algorithm, the situation is not entirely satisfactory as most measurements rather use the anti-$k_T$ jet algorithm. In this work, we propose a flavour-aware infrared-safe modification of the anti-$k_T$ jet algorithm that is easy to implement within perturbative Monte Carlo frameworks and has minor impact on jet phenomenology when flavour tagging is not required. Besides the numerical verification of the infrared safety of the proposed algorithm at next-to-next-to-leading order, we also present results for the hadro-production of a lepton pair in association with a $b$-jet, and of a top-quark pair decaying into $b$-jets and leptons., Comment: 21 pages, 26 figures

The International Linear Collider (ILC) is on the table now as a new global energy-frontier accelerator laboratory taking data in the 2030s. The ILC addresses key questions for our current understanding of particle physics. It is based on a proven accelerator technology. Its experiments will challenge the Standard Model of particle physics and will provide a new window to look beyond it. This document brings the story of the ILC up to date, emphasizing its strong physics motivation, its readiness for construction, and the opportunity it presents to the US and the global particle physics community., Comment: 356 pages, Large pdf file (40 MB) submitted to Snowmass 2021; v2 references to Snowmass contributions added, additional authors; v3 references added, some updates, additional authors

In these proceedings, we highlight some aspects of the recent computation of NNLO QCD corrections for W production in association with a charm jet at the LHC. The results are presented in the form of cross sections and differential distributions and are compared to ATLAS data., Comment: 6 pages, 5 pdf figures. Contribution to the Proceedings of RADCOR 2021 (15th International Symposium on Radiative Corrections: Applications of Quantum Field Theory to Phenomenology)

Multi-jet rates at hadron colliders provide a unique possibility for probing Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of strong interactions. By comparing theory predictions with collider data, one can directly test perturbative QCD, extract fundamental parameters like the strong coupling $\alpha_s$ and search for physics beyond the Standard Model. In this work we calculate, for the first time, the next-to-next-to-leading (NNLO) QCD corrections to typical three-jet observables and to differential three-to-two jet ratios. We demonstrate that the inclusion of the NNLO corrections significantly reduces the dependence of those observables on the factorization and renormalization scales. Besides its phenomenological value, this proof-of-principle computation represents a milestone in perturbative QCD., Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, In the original publication, we have evaluated the two-loop finite remainder function with an incorrect colour factor. The updated version of the paper contains the corrected plots and correspondingly updated statements in the text

We calculate the NNLO QCD corrections to diphoton production with an additional jet at the LHC. Our calculation represents the first NNLO-accurate prediction for the transverse momentum distribution of the diphoton system. The improvement in the accuracy of the theoretical prediction is significant, by a factor of up to four relative to NLO QCD. Our calculation is exact except for the finite remainder of the two-loop amplitude which is included at leading color. The numerical impact of this approximated contribution is small. The results of this work are expected to further our understanding of the Higgs boson sector and of the behavior of higher-order corrections to LHC processes., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures

We calculate the complete set of two-loop leading-colour QCD helicity amplitudes for $\gamma \gamma j$-production at hadron colliders. Our results are presented in a compact, fully-analytical form., Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, 3 tables, published version

We calculate, for the first time, the NNLO QCD corrections to identified heavy hadron production at hadron colliders. The calculation is based on a flexible numeric framework which allows the calculation of any distribution of a single identified heavy hadron plus jets and non-QCD particles. As a first application we provide NNLO QCD predictions for several differential distributions of $B$ hadrons in $t\bar t$ events at the LHC. Among others, these predictions are needed for the precise determination of the top quark mass. The extension of our results to other processes, like open or associated $B$ and charm production is straightforward. We also explore the prospects for extracting heavy flavor fragmentation functions from LHC data., Comment: 27 pages, 29 figures

We calculate all planar contributions to the two-loop massless helicity amplitudes for the process $q\bar q\to \gamma\gamma\gamma$. The results are presented in fully analytic form in terms of the functional basis proposed recently by Chicherin and Sotnikov. With this publication we provide the two-loop contributions already used by us in the NNLO QCD calculation of the LHC process $pp\to \gamma\gamma\gamma$ [Chawdhry et al. (2019)]. Our results agree with a recent calculation of the same amplitude [Abreu et al. (2020)] which was performed using different techniques. We combine several modern computational techniques, notably, analytic solutions for the IBP identities, finite-field reconstruction techniques as well as the recent approach [Chen (2019)] for efficiently projecting helicity amplitudes. Our framework appears well-suited for the calculation of two-loop multileg amplitudes for which complete sets of master integrals exist., Comment: 19 pages, 2 figures, published version

We study the production of a W boson in association with a c-jet at the LHC. We calculate, for the first time, the complete set of NNLO QCD corrections to the dominant CKM-diagonal contribution to this process. Both signatures, ${\rm p}{\rm p}\to \mu^+\nu_\mu{\rm j}_{\rm c}$ and ${\rm p}{\rm p}\to \mu^-\bar\nu_\mu{\rm j}_{\rm c}$ are considered. We present predictions for fiducial cross sections and differential distributions for each one of the two signatures as well as for their ratio. The theoretical predictions are compared with ATLAS measurements at $7 \; {\rm TeV}$. The results of this work are essential for the precision description of associated heavy flavor production at hadron colliders and for the determination of the strange-quark content of the proton from LHC data in NNLO QCD., Comment: 24 pages, 15 pdf figures

We present a joint extraction of the strong coupling $\alpha_s$ and the top-quark pole mass $m_t$ from measurements of top-quark pair production performed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the 8 TeV LHC. For the first time, differential NNLO theory predictions for different values of the top-quark mass are utilised for four kinematic distributions: the average transverse momentum of the top-quark, its average rapidity and the pair invariant mass and rapidity. The use of fastNLO tables for these distributions allows rapid evaluation of the differential theory predictions for different PDF sets. We consider the single differential distributions from the experiments both separately and in combination in order to obtain the best fit to theory. Our final values are $\alpha_s=0.1159^{+0.0013}_{-0.0014}$ and $m_t=173.8^{+0.8}_{-0.8}$ GeV which are compatible with previous extractions using top-quark measurements. In the case of $m_t$, our value is also compatible with the world average value collated by the Particle Data Group., Comment: 35 pages. Supplementary results available at http://www.precision.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/results/ttbar-fastnlo/

We calculate a comprehensive set of spin correlations and differential distributions in top-quark pair production and decay to dilepton final states. This is the first time such a complete study is performed at next-to-next-to leading order in QCD. Both inclusive and fiducial distributions are presented and analyzed. Good agreement between NNLO QCD predictions and data is found. We demonstrate that it is possible to perform high-precision comparisons of fixed-order calculations with fiducial-level data. Subtleties of the top quark definition are raised and clarified. Some of those are found to have a very significant impact on top-quark pair production at absolute threshold., Comment: 49 pages, 94 figures, published version, minor changes in the figures and text

LHC $t\bar{t}$ data have the potential to provide constraints on the gluon distribution, especially at high $x$, with both ATLAS and CMS performing differential measurements. Recently, CMS has measured double-differential $t\bar{t}$ distributions at 8 TeV. In this paper we examine the impact of this data set on the gluon distribution. To that end we develop novel, double-differential NNLO predictions for that data. No significant impact is found when the CMS data is added to the CT14HERA2 global PDF fit, due to the larger impact of the inclusive jet data from both the Tevatron and the LHC. If the jet data are removed from the fit, then an impact is observed. If the CMS data is scaled by a larger weight, representing the greater statistical power of the jet data, a roughly equal impact on the gluon distribution is observed for the $t\bar{t}$ as for the inclusive jet data. For data samples with higher integrated luminosity at 13 TeV, a more significant impact of the double-differential $t\bar{t}$ data may be observed., Comment: 31 pages,22 figures, 6 tables

We compute the NNLO QCD corrections to three-photon production at the LHC. This is the first NNLO QCD calculation for a $2\to 3$ process. Our calculation is exact, except for the scale-independent part of the two-loop finite remainder which is included in the leading color approximation. We estimate the size of the missing two-loop corrections and find them to be phenomenologically negligible. We compare our predictions with available 8 TeV measurement from the ATLAS collaboration. We find that the inclusion of the NNLO corrections eliminates the existing significant discrepancy with respect to NLO QCD predictions, paving the way for precision phenomenology in this process., Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures. v2: published version

Detailed studies have been carried out on the impact of the LHC top quark pair production data on gluon PDF, in the context of the CTEQ-TEA global PDF fit, with the ePump-updating method. The considered $t\bar{t}$ data include single differential distributions from ATLAS and double differential distributions from CMS, both at 8 TeV. All analyses have been carried out at the NNLO, using fastNNLO tables. We show that the sensitivity per data point of the LHC $t\bar{t}$ data is similar to that of jet data, as included in the CT14HERA2 fit, while the total sensitivity of the present $t\bar{t}$ data is not as large as the jet data because of the much smaller number of $t\bar{t}$ data points in the presently available data.

Next-to-next-to-leading order QCD predictions for single-, double- and even triple-differential distributions of jet events in proton-proton collisions have recently been obtained using the NNLOjet framework based on antenna subtraction. These results are an important input for Parton Distribution Function fits to hadron-collider data. While these calculations include all of the partonic channels occurring at this order of the perturbative expansion, they are based on the leading-color approximation in the case of channels involving quarks and are only exact in color in the pure-gluon channel. In the present publication, we verify that the sub-leading color effects in the single-jet inclusive double-differential cross sections are indeed negligible as far as phenomenological applications are concerned. This is the first independent and complete calculation for this observable. We also take the opportunity to discuss the necessary modifications of the sector-improved residue subtraction scheme that made this work possible., Comment: 42 pages, 3 figures, v2 (published version) minor changes

In any calculation in perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) a choice needs to be made for the unphysical renormalisation scale, $\mu_R$. The Brodsky-Lepage-Mackenzie/Principle of Maximum Conformality (BLM/PMC) scale-setting procedure is one proposed method for selecting this scale. In this work we identify three ambiguities in the BLM/PMC procedure itself. Their numerical impact is studied using the example of the total cross-section for $t\bar{t}$ production through Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order in QCD. One ambiguity is the arbitrary choice of the value of the highest-order PMC scale. The numerical impact of this choice on the BLM/PMC prediction for the cross-section is found to be comparable to the impact of the choice of $\mu_R$ in the conventional scale-setting approach. Another ambiguity relates to the definitions of the other PMC scales and is similarly found to have a large impact on the cross-section., Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 8 tables. v2 (published version): added references and changed title

We describe predictions for top-quark pair differential distributions at hadron colliders, which combine state-of-the-art NNLO QCD calculations and NLO electroweak corrections together with double resummation at NNLL$'$ accuracy of threshold logarithms and small-mass logarithms. This is the first time that such a combination has appeared in the literature. Numerical results are presented for the invariant-mass distribution, the transverse-momentum distribution as well as rapidity distributions., Comment: Contribution to the proceedings of the 11th International Workshop on Top Quark Physics (TOP2018); v3: significantly modified version with more numeric results

We calculate, for the first time, the next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) QCD corrections to spin correlations in top quark pair production at the LHC. The NNLO corrections play an important role in the description of the corresponding differential distributions. We observe that the Standard Model calculation describes the available delta-phi data in the fiducial region but does not agree with the delta-phi measurement extrapolated to full phase space. Most likely this discrepancy is due to the difference in precision between existing event generators and NNLO calculations for dilepton top-pair final states., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures

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 estimate the sensitivity to the top-quark Yukawa coupling $y_t$ at future $e^+e^-$ colliders. We go beyond the standard approach that focuses on $t\bar t h$ production and consider final states with a Higgs boson but not top quarks. The sensitivity to $y_t$ in such processes comes from the coupling of the Higgs boson to top quarks in loops. Such final states can be produced in significant numbers at center-of-mass energies that will be accessible by all proposed $e^+e^-$ colliders. In a simplified theoretical framework to parametrise deviations from the Standard Model, we find that at FCC-$ee$ and CEPC operating at $\sqrt{s}=240$ GeV, $y_t$ could potentially be measured with precision better than $1\%$. For CLIC and ILC the extraction of $y_t$ could be improved by a factor of about 2 and 7 respectively, compared to its extraction from just $t\bar t h$ final states., Comment: 14 pages, 2 figures. v2 (published version): added references, extended discussion

We solve the integration-by-parts (IBP) identities needed for the computation of any planar two-loop five-point massless amplitude in QCD. We also derive some new results for the most complicated non-planar topology with irreducible numerators of power as high as six. We do this by applying a new strategy for solving the IBP identities which scales better for problems with a large number of scales and/or master integrals. Our results are a proof of principle that the remaining non-planar contributions for all two-loop five-point massless QCD amplitudes can be computed in analytic form., Comment: 6 pages, 1 ancillary file, results available from "http://www.precision.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/results/amplitudes/". v2 (published version): added references

We present a much simpler analytic expression for the UV un-renormalized one-loop soft-gluon current which controls the infra-red behavior of one-loop QCD amplitudes with massive fermions when an external gluon becomes soft. The result is given entirely in terms of standard polylogarithms, is of uniform transcendentality and is well-suited for computer implementation., Comment: 3 pages

We construct predictions for top quark pair differential distributions at hadron colliders that combine state-of-the-art NNLO QCD calculations with double resummation at NNLL' accuracy of threshold logarithms arising from soft gluon emissions and of small mass logarithms. This is the first time a resummed calculation at full NNLO+NNLL' accuracy in QCD for a process with non-trivial color structure has been completed at the differential level. Of main interest to us is the stability of the M_{tt} and top-quark p_T distributions in the boosted regime where fixed order calculations may become strongly dependent on the choice of dynamic scales. With the help of numeric and analytic arguments we confirm that the choice for the factorization and renormalization scales advocated recently by some of the authors is indeed optimal. We further derive a set of optimized kinematics-dependent scales for the matching functions which appear in the resummed calculations. Our NNLO+NNLL' prediction for the top-pair invariant mass is significantly less sensitive to the choice of factorization scale than the fixed order prediction, even at NNLO. Notably, the resummed and fixed order calculations are in nearly perfect agreement with each other in the full M_{tt} range when the optimal dynamic scale is used. For the top-quark p_T distribution the resummation performed here has less of an impact and instead we find that upgrading the matching with fixed-order from NLO+NNLL' to NNLO+NNLL' to be an important effect, a point to be kept in mind when using NLO-based Monte Carlo event generators to calculate this distribution., Comment: 45 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables. Updated formatting and included a new appendix. Matches journal version

We calculate all main top-quark pair differential distributions at the Tevatron. For the first time Tevatron predictions for this process include all Standard Model corrections through NLO (referred to as complete-NLO) consistently combined with previously computed NNLO QCD corrections. We also assess, for the first time, the impact of dynamical scales on predictions for the latest Tevatron measurements., Comment: Proceedings of the 10th International Workshop on Top Quark Physics, Braga, Portugal, September 17-22, 2017

We provide the most up-to-date predictions for the top-quark charge asymmetry A_C at the LHC with a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. Our result is accurate at the NNLO level in the strong interactions and at the complete-NLO level in both the strong and electroweak interactions. We present results for the inclusive A_C, several differential asymmetries as well as the P_{T,tt} and M_{tt} cumulative asymmetries. Similarly to the Tevatron forward-backward asymmetry A_FB, both NNLO QCD and NLO EW corrections to A_C are found to be significant. The inclusion of higher-order corrections reduces the residual scale dependence in the predicted A_C. The pattern of higher-order corrections indicates good perturbative control over these observables. We conclude that at present there is nearly uniform agreement between Standard Model predictions and LHC measurements across all A_C-related observables. All previously published differential A_FB predictions at the Tevatron are updated to the same accuracy., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables

We show that the well-known obstacle for working with the zero-mass variable flavor number scheme, namely, the omission of O(1) mass power corrections close to the conventional heavy flavor matching point (HFMP) mu_b=m, can be easily overcome. For this it is sufficient to take advantage of the freedom in choosing the position of the HFMP. We demonstrate that by choosing a sufficiently large HFMP, which could be as large as 10 times the mass of the heavy quark, one can achieve the following improvements: 1) above the HFMP the size of missing power corrections O(m) is restricted by the value of mu_b and, therefore, the error associated with their omission can be made negligible; 2) additional prescriptions for the definition of cross-sections are not required; 3) the resummation accuracy is maintained and 4) contrary to the common lore we find that the discontinuity of alpha_s and pdfs across thresholds leads to improved continuity in predictions for observables. We have considered a large set of proton-proton and electron-proton collider processes, many through NNLO QCD, that demonstrate the broad applicability of our proposal., Comment: 30 pages, 16 figures, 7 tables

In this work we present for the first time predictions for top-quark pair differential distributions at the LHC at NNLO QCD accuracy and including EW corrections. For the latter we include not only contributions of ${\cal O}(\alpha_s^2 \alpha)$, but also those of order ${\cal O}(\alpha_s \alpha^2)$ and ${\cal O}( \alpha^3)$. Besides providing phenomenological predictions for all main differential distributions with stable top quarks, we also study the following issues. 1) The effect of the photon PDF on top-pair spectra: we find it to be strongly dependent on the PDF set used -- especially for the top $p_T$ distribution. 2) The difference between the additive and multiplicative approaches for combining QCD and EW corrections: with our scale choice, we find relatively small differences between the central predictions, but reduced scale dependence within the multiplicative approach. 3) The potential effect from the radiation of heavy bosons on inclusive top-pair spectra: we find it to be, typically, negligible., Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures, version published in JHEP, results are attached in electronic form, results and additional material available from this website: http://www.precision.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/results/ttbar-nnloqcd-nloew/

We release fastNLO tables with NNLO QCD top-quark pair differential distributions corresponding to 8 TeV ATLAS [Eur. Phys. J. C 76 538 (2016)] and CMS [Eur. Phys. J. C 75 542 (2015)] measurements. This is the first time fastNLO tables with NNLO QCD accuracy have been made publicly available. The tables are indispensable in pdf fits and allow, for the first time, very fast calculation of differential distributions with any pdf set and for different values of $\alpha_s$. The numerical accuracy of the resulting differential distributions is high and comparable to the accuracy of all publicly available NNLO top-quark differential calculations. We intend to keep producing tables corresponding to existing and future LHC measurements at various collider energies., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, fastNLO tables are available from this website: http://www.precision.hep.phy.cam.ac.uk/results/ttbar-fastnlo/

Top-quark pair production at the LHC is directly sensitive to the gluon PDF at large x. While total cross-section data is already included in several PDF determinations, differential distributions are not, because the corresponding NNLO calculations have become available only recently. In this work we study the impact on the large-x gluon of top-quark pair differential distributions measured by ATLAS and CMS at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV. Our analysis, performed in the NNPDF3.0 framework at NNLO accuracy, allows us to identify the optimal combination of LHC top-quark pair measurements that maximize the constraints on the gluon, as well as to assess the compatibility between ATLAS and CMS data. We find that differential distributions from top-quark pair production provide significant constraints on the large-x gluon, comparable to those obtained from inclusive jet production data, and thus should become an important ingredient for the next generation of global PDF fits., Comment: 42 pages, 21 figures, 11 tables, this version match the version accepted for publication in JHEP

We demonstrate that a purposefully normalised NNLO top pair invariant mass differential spectrum can have very small theoretical uncertainty and, in particular, a small sensitivity to the top quark mass. Such observable can thus be a very effective bump-hunting tool for resonances decaying to top pair events during LHC Run II and beyond. To illustrate how the approach works, we concentrate on one specific example of current interest, namely, the possible 750 GeV di-gamma excess resonance Phi. Considering only theoretical uncertainties, we demonstrate that it is possible to distinguish pp -> Phi -> tt signals studied in the recent literature [Hespel, Maltoni and Vryonidou, arXiv:1606.04149] from the pure SM background with very high significance. Alternatively, in case of non-observation, a strong upper limit on the decay rate Phi -> tt can be placed., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, analytic fits attached, plot on top-mass sensitivity for the invariant mass distribution added, appendix on top-mass sensitivity of differential distributions added, minor additional changes and comments, matches published version

We calculate all major differential distributions with stable top-quarks at the LHC. The calculation covers the multi-TeV range that will be explored during LHC Run II and beyond. Our results are in the form of high-quality binned distributions. We offer predictions based on three different parton distribution function (pdf) sets. In the near future we will make our results available also in the more flexible fastNLO format that allows fast re-computation with any other pdf set. In order to be able to extend our calculation into the multi-TeV range we have had to derive a set of dynamic scales. Such scales are selected based on the principle of fastest perturbative convergence applied to the differential and inclusive cross-section. Many observations from our study are likely to be applicable and useful to other precision processes at the LHC. With scale uncertainty now under good control, pdfs arise as the leading source of uncertainty for TeV top production. Based on our findings, true precision in the boosted regime will likely only be possible after new and improved pdf sets appear. We expect that LHC top-quark data will play an important role in this process., Comment: 27 pages, 16 figures, all results attached in electronic form, version published in JHEP

We present a comprehensive study of differential distributions for Tevatron top-pair events at the level of stable top quarks. All calculations are performed in NNLO QCD with the help of a fully differential partonic Monte-Carlo and are exact at this order in perturbation theory. We present predictions for all kinematic distributions for which data exists. Particular attention is paid on the top-quark forward-backward asymmetry which we study in detail. We compare the NNLO results with existing approximate NNLO predictions as well as differential distributions computed with different parton distribution sets. Theory errors are significantly smaller than current experimental ones with overall agreement between theory and data., Comment: 38 pages, 13 figures, 13 tables

We present the first complete next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD predictions for differential distributions in the top-quark pair production process at the LHC. Our results are derived from a fully differential partonic Monte Carlo calculation with stable top quarks which involves no approximations beyond the fixed-order truncation of the perturbation series. The NNLO corrections improve the agreement between existing LHC measurements [V. Khachatryan et al. (CMS Collaboration), Eur. Phys. J. C 75, 542 (2015)] and standard model predictions for the top-quark transverse momentum distribution, thus helping alleviate one long-standing discrepancy. The shape of the top-quark pair invariant mass distribution turns out to be stable with respect to radiative corrections beyond NLO which increases the value of this observable as a place to search for physics beyond the standard model. The results presented here provide essential input for parton distribution function fits, implementation of higher-order effects in Monte Carlo generators as well as top-quark mass and strong coupling determination., Comment: Updated version matching the version published in PRL. Data files with all results attached

We summarise the Topical Workshop on Top Quark Differential Distributions 2014, which took place in Cannes immediately before the annual Top2014 conference. The workshop was motivated by the availability of top quark differential distributions at NNLO and the forthcoming LHC 13 TeV data. The main goal of the workshop was to explore the impact of improved calculations of top quark production on precision LHC measurements, PDF determinations and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model, as well as finding ways in which the high precision data from ATLAS, CMS and LHCb can be used to further refine theoretical predictions for top production., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, proceedings of TOP2014, 7th International Workshop on Top-Quark Physics, Cannes, France

We determine the dominant missing Standard Model (SM) contribution to the top quark pair forward-backward asymmetry at the Tevatron. Contrary to past expectations, we find a large, around 27%, shift relative to the well-known value of the inclusive asymmetry in next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD. Combining all known Standard Model corrections, we find that AFB^{SM} = 0.095 +- 0.007. This value is in agreement with the latest D0 measurement [V. M. Abazov et al. (D0 Collaboration), Phys. Rev. D 90, 072011 (2014)] AFB^{D0} = 0.106+- 0.03 and about 1.5 sigma below that of CDF [T. Aaltonen et al. (CDF Collaboration), Phys. Rev. D 87, 092002 (2013)] AFB^{CDF} =0.164 +- 0.047. Our result is derived from a fully differential calculation of the next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) QCD corrections to inclusive top pair production at hadron colliders and includes - without any approximation - all partonic channels contributing to this process. This is the first complete fully differential calculation in NNLO QCD of a two-to-two scattering process with all coloured partons., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Published journal version: title extended and few clarifications added

We present a procedure for the determination of the mass of the top quark at the LHC based on leptonic observables in dilepton $t\bar{t}$ events. Our approach utilises the shapes of kinematic distributions through their few lowest Mellin moments; it is notable for its minimal sensitivity to the modelling of long-distance effects, for not requiring the reconstruction of top quarks, and for having a competitive precision, with theory errors on the extracted top mass of the order of 0.8 GeV. A novel aspect of our work is the study of theoretical biases that might influence in a dramatic way the determination of the top mass, and which are potentially relevant to all template-based methods. We propose a comprehensive strategy that helps minimise the impact of such biases, and leads to a reliable top mass extraction at hadron colliders., Comment: 29 pages, 3 figures

Light stops are a hallmark of the most natural realizations of weak-scale supersymmetry. While stops have been extensively searched for, there remain open gaps around and below the top mass, due to similarities of stop and top signals with current statistics. We propose a new fast-track avenue to improve light stop searches for R-parity conserving supersymmetry, by comparing top cross section measurements to the theoretical prediction. Stop masses below ~ 180 GeV can now be ruled out for a light neutralino. The possibility of a stop signal contaminating the top mass measurement is also briefly addressed., Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures

We present an up-to-date overview of the problem of top quark mass determination. We assess the need for precision in the top mass extraction in the LHC era together with the main theoretical and experimental issues arising in precision top mass determination. We collect and document existing results on top mass determination at hadron colliders and map the prospects for future precision top mass determination at e+e- colliders. We present a collection of estimates for the ultimate precision of various methods for top quark mass extraction at the LHC., Comment: 26 pages. Snowmass White Paper