Local Analytic Sector Subtraction at NNLO

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new local subtraction method for infrared divergences at NNLO in QCD, simplifying calculations for generic infrared-safe observables, demonstrated on a simple process.

Contribution

It presents a novel local subtraction approach that combines sector partitioning with analytic integration, applicable to final-state massless particles at NNLO.

Findings

Organizes infrared subtraction at NLO efficiently

Details the structure of NNLO subtraction terms

Provides a proof of concept with a simple process

Abstract

We present a new method for the local subtraction of infrared divergences at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in QCD, for generic infrared-safe observables. Our method attempts to conjugate the minimal local counterterm structure arising from a sector partition of the radiation phase space with the simplifications following from analytic integration of the counterterms. In this first implementation, the method applies to final-state massless particles. We show how our method compactly organises infrared subtraction at NLO, we deduce in detail the general structure of the subtraction terms at NNLO, and we provide a proof of principle with a complete application to a simple process at NNLO.