Z/gamma* plus Multiple Hard Jets in High Energy Collisions

TL;DR

This paper develops a high-energy QCD calculation framework for Z/gamma* plus multiple jets, incorporating dominant logarithms and interference effects, and compares well with LHC data in high-energy regimes.

Contribution

It extends the High Energy Jets framework to include multiple t-channel exchanges and interference effects for Z/gamma* plus jets, improving predictions at large energies.

Findings

Good agreement with LHC data across many observables.

Enhanced accuracy in regions of large dijet invariant mass.

Outperforms other approaches in high-energy regions.

Abstract

We present a description of the production of a di-lepton pair (through Z boson and virtual photon) in association with at least two jets. This calculation adds to the fixed-order accuracy the dominant logarithms in the limit of large partonic centre-of-mass energy to all orders in the strong coupling. This is achieved within the framework of High Energy Jets. This calculation is made possible by extending the high energy treatment to take into account the multiple t-channel exchanges arising from Z and gamma*-emissions off several quark lines. The correct description of the interference effects from the various t-channel exchanges requires an extension of the subtraction terms in the all-order calculation. We describe this construction and compare the resulting predictions to a number of recent analyses of LHC data. The description of a wide range of observables is good, and, as expected, stands out from other approaches in particular in the regions of large dijet invariant mass and large dijet rapidity spans.