Precision predictions for the t+t(bar) production cross section at hadron colliders

TL;DR

This paper enhances the theoretical predictions of top-quark pair production cross sections at hadron colliders by incorporating higher-order corrections and resummation techniques, providing more precise and reliable estimates.

Contribution

It introduces improved predictions by combining fixed-order NLO calculations with NNLL soft gluon resummation and estimates uncertainties from power corrections, including different mass schemes.

Findings

Predictions as functions of top-quark mass in multiple schemes

Reduced theoretical uncertainties in cross section calculations

Comparison of different mass scheme impacts on predictions

Abstract

We make use of recent results in effective theory and higher-order perturbative calculations to improve the theoretical predictions of the top-quark pair production cross section at hadron colliders. In particular, we supplement the fixed-order NLO calculation with higher-order corrections from soft gluon resummation at NNLL accuracy. Uncertainties due to power corrections to the soft limit are estimated by combining results from single-particle inclusive and pair invariant-mass kinematics. We present our predictions as functions of the top-quark mass in both the pole scheme and the MS(bar) scheme. We also discuss the merits of using threshold masses as an alternative, and calculate the cross section with the top-quark mass defined in the 1S scheme as an illustrative example.