The TauSpinner approach for electroweak corrections in LHC Z to ll observables

TL;DR

This paper enhances the TauSpinner tool to incorporate electroweak corrections for Z to ll processes at the LHC, enabling precise, per-event reweighting of observables crucial for Standard Model tests.

Contribution

The work introduces a method to include electroweak corrections into TauSpinner using Dizet library data, improving the accuracy of Z boson observable predictions at the LHC.

Findings

Electroweak corrections significantly affect Z resonance and asymmetry observables.

The improved TauSpinner provides results consistent with full EW form-factor calculations.

Simplified Effective Born approach offers a good approximation for EW corrections.

Abstract

The LHC enters era of the Standard Model Z-boson couplings precise measurements, to match precision of LEP. The calculations of electroweak (EW) corrections in the Monte Carlo generators become of relevance. Precise predictions of Z-boson production and decay require classes of QED/EW/QCD corrections, preferably in the manner which allows for separation from the QCD dynamics of the production. At LEP, calculations, genuine weak and lineshape corrections were introduced into electroweak form-factors and Improved Born Approximation. This was well suited for so-called doubly-deconvoluted observables around the Z-pole; observables for which the initial- and final-state QED real and virtual emissions are treated separately or integrated over. This approach to EW corrections is followed for LHC pp collisions. We focus on the EW corrections to doubly-deconvoluted observables of Z to ll process, in a form of per-event weight and on numerical results. The reweighting technique of TauSpinner package is revisited and the program is enriched with the EW sector. The Dizet library, as interfaced to KKMC Monte Carlo of the LEP era, is used to calculate O(alpha) weak loop corrections, supplemented by some higher-order terms. They are used in the form of look-up tables by the TauSpinner package. The size of the corrections is evaluated for the following observables: the Z-boson resonance line-shape, the outgoing leptons forward-backward asymmetry, effective leptonic weak mixing angles and the lepton distribution spherical harmonic expansion coefficients. Evaluation of the EW corrections for observables with simplified calculations based on Effective Born of modified EW couplings, is also presented and compared with the predictions of Improved Born Approximation where complete set of EW form-factors is used.