On the EFT validity for Drell-Yan tails at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper assesses the validity of the Effective Field Theory approach for high-energy Drell-Yan processes at the LHC by comparing EFT predictions with explicit mediator models, including effects of dimension-eight operators.

Contribution

It provides criteria for EFT validity in Drell-Yan processes, analyzes the role of dimension-eight operators, and discusses implications for LHC data interpretation and new physics scenarios.

Findings

EFT accurately describes certain Drell-Yan regimes under specific conditions.

Including dimension-eight operators improves EFT convergence.

Results have implications for interpreting LHC data and constraining new physics.

Abstract

In this article, we examine the validity range of the Effective Field Theory (EFT) description of high-energy Drell-Yan processes at the LHC. To this purpose, we consider explicit mediators that contribute to these processes in the $s$- and $t$-channels, comparing their effects in Drell-Yan distributions with the ones obtained by matching onto the corresponding EFT. We determine the conditions for the EFT results to accurately describe these scenarios. In particular, we explore the impact of including dimension-eight $(d=8)$ operators in the faster convergence of the EFT series, at the analytical and numerical level, considering contributions to the cross section up to the square of $d=8$ EFT operator insertions. Moreover, we discuss the possible implications of clipping LHC data and illustrate results for a specific New-Physics scenario motivated by low-energy flavor data.