New CTEQ Global Analysis with High Precision Data from the LHC

TL;DR

This paper introduces the latest CTEQ global analysis of parton distribution functions using high-precision LHC data, employing NNLO QCD calculations and presenting two PDF sets to address fitting challenges.

Contribution

The paper provides a new set of PDFs (CT18 and CT18Z) derived from the most recent LHC data at NNLO, improving the accuracy of QCD predictions.

Findings

Two PDF families, CT18 and CT18Z, effectively fit LHC data.

Impact of PDFs on LHC standard candle cross sections analyzed.

Enhanced precision in nucleon structure understanding.

Abstract

We present the new CTEQ-TEA global analysis of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). In this analysis, parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the nucleon are determined within the Hessian method at the next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) in perturbative QCD, based on the most recent measurements from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and a variety of world collider data. Because of difficulties in fitting both the ATLAS 7 and 8 TeV $W$ and $Z$ vector boson production cross section data, we present two families of PDFs, named CT18 and CT18$Z$ PDFs, respectively, without and with the ATLAS 7 TeV $W$ and $Z$ measurements. We study the impact of the CT18 family of PDFs on the theoretical predictions of standard candle cross sections at the LHC.