A global fit of top quark effective theory to data

TL;DR

This paper performs a comprehensive global fit of dimension-six operators in top quark effective theory using current collider data, providing model-independent bounds on new physics effects and demonstrating fast fitting techniques.

Contribution

It introduces novel fast-fitting methods for top quark effective theory and offers the first fully correlated, model-independent bounds from collider data.

Findings

Established new bounds on top quark BSM operators

Demonstrated the feasibility of rapid theory-data fitting in top physics

Provided a framework for future detailed analyses including decays and detector effects

Abstract

In this paper we present a global fit of beyond the Standard Model (BSM) dimension six operators relevant to the top quark sector to currently available data. Experimental measurements include parton-level top-pair and single top production from the LHC and the Tevatron. Higher order QCD corrections are modelled using differential and global K-factors, and we use novel fast-fitting techniques developed in the context of Monte Carlo event generator tuning to perform the fit. This allows us to provide new, fully correlated and model-independent bounds on new physics effects in the top sector from the most current direct hadron-collider measurements in light of the involved theoretical and experimental systematics. As a by-product, our analysis constitutes a proof-of-principle that fast fitting of theory to data is possible in the top quark sector, and paves the way for a more detailed analysis including top quark decays, detector corrections and precision observables.