NNLO QCD corrections to event shapes at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper presents the first NNLO QCD calculations for jet event shapes at the LHC, improving theoretical precision and aiding the determination of the strong coupling constant.

Contribution

It provides the first NNLO predictions for jet event shapes at hadron colliders, reducing theoretical uncertainties and enhancing the potential for precise alpha_s measurements.

Findings

NNLO corrections remove shape discrepancies between data and theory.

Theoretical uncertainties at NNLO are comparable to experimental errors.

Predictions are reliable outside narrow kinematic regions.

Abstract

In this work we perform the first ever calculation of jet event shapes at hadron colliders at next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) in QCD. The inclusion of higher order corrections removes the shape difference observed between data and next-to-leading order predictions. The theory uncertainty at NNLO is comparable to, or slightly larger than, existing measurements. Except for narrow kinematical ranges where all-order resummation becomes important, the NNLO predictions for the event shapes considered in the present work are reliable. As a prime application of the results derived in this work we provide a detailed investigation of the prospects for the precision determination of the strong coupling constant and its running through TeV scales from LHC data.