Implications of CTEQ global analysis for collider observables

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the impact of CTEQ6.6 parton distribution functions on collider process predictions, introduces a new method to constrain PDF uncertainties using correlations with standard model cross sections, and discusses implications for LHC measurements.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach to constrain PDF uncertainties at the LHC by exploiting correlations with benchmark cross sections, enhancing prediction precision.

Findings

Increased predicted cross sections for W and Z boson production in the general-mass scheme.

A new method to use top-antitop cross sections as standard candles for gluon-dominated processes.

Reducing PDF uncertainties improves predictions for top, Higgs, and supersymmetric particle production.

Abstract

The latest CTEQ6.6 parton distributions, obtained by global analysis of hard scattering data in the framework of general-mass perturbative QCD, are employed to study theoretical predictions and their uncertainties for significant processes at the Fermilab Tevatron and CERN Large Hadron Collider. The previously observed increase in predicted cross sections for the standard-candle W and Z boson production processes in the general-mass scheme (compared to those in the zero-mass scheme) is further investigated and quantified. A novel method to constrain PDF uncertainties in LHC observables, by effectively exploiting PDF-induced correlations with benchmark standard model cross sections, is presented. Using this method, we show that the top-antitop pair cross section can potentially serve as a standard candle observable for the LHC processes dominated by initial-state gluon scattering. Among other benefits, precise measurements of $t\bar{t}$ cross sections would reduce PDF uncertainties in predictions for single-top quark and Higgs boson production in the standard model and minimal supersymmetric standard model.