NLO+NLL limits on W' and Z' gauge boson masses in general extensions of the Standard Model

TL;DR

This paper presents advanced QCD resummation predictions for W' and Z' boson production, compares them with other models, and derives new mass limits from LHC data, improving theoretical accuracy and reducing uncertainties.

Contribution

It introduces NLO+NLL resummation calculations for W' and Z' production, providing more precise cross sections and mass limits in extended Standard Model frameworks.

Findings

Resummation reduces theoretical uncertainties significantly.

NLO+NLL predictions align well with Monte Carlo and fixed-order results.

New mass limits for W' and Z' bosons are established based on LHC data.

Abstract

QCD resummation predictions for the production of charged (W') and neutral (Z') heavy gauge bosons decaying leptonically are presented. The results of our resummation code at next-to-leading order and next-to-leading logarithmic (NLO+NLL) accuracy are compared to Monte Carlo predictions obtained with PYTHIA at leading order (LO) supplemented with parton showers (PS) and FEWZ at NLO and next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) for the $p_T$-differential and total cross sections in the Sequential Standard Model (SSM) and general SU(2)xSU(2)xU(1) models. The LO+PS Monte Carlo and NNLO fixed-order predictions are shown to agree approximately with those at NLO+NLL at small and intermediate $p_T$, respectively, and the importance of resummation for total cross sections is shown to increase with the gauge boson mass. The theoretical uncertainties are estimated by variations of the renormalisation/factorisation scales and of the parton densities, the former being significantly reduced by the resummation procedure. New limits at NLO+NLL on W' and Z' boson masses are obtained by reinterpreting the latest ATLAS and CMS results in general extensions of the Standard Model.