Correlated theoretical uncertainties for the one-jet inclusive cross section

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the correlated systematic theoretical uncertainties in NLO QCD predictions for the one-jet inclusive cross section, providing a model to incorporate these errors into experimental data fits.

Contribution

It introduces a method to estimate and decompose correlated theoretical uncertainties as functions of jet transverse momentum and rapidity.

Findings

Quantified the magnitude of theoretical errors as functions of kinematic variables.

Decomposed total errors into statistically independent components.

Provided a model for including systematic errors in data analysis.

Abstract

We discuss the correlated systematic theoretical uncertainties that may be ascribed to the next-to-leading order QCD theory used to predict the one-jet inclusive cross section in hadron collisions. We estimate the magnitude of these errors as functions of the jet transverse momentum and rapidity. The total theoretical error is decomposed into a set of functions of transverse momentum and rapidity that give a model for statistically independent contributions to the error. This representation can be used to include the systematic theoretical errors in fits to the experimental data.