Direct Estimation of Sizes of Higher-Order Graphs

With the aid of simple examples we show how to make simple estimates of the sizes of higher-order Feynman graphs. Our methods enable appropriate values of renormalization and factorization scales to be made. They allow the diagnosis of the source of unusually large corrections that are in need of resummation.Comment: 22 pages Revtex with epsf, postscript figures. Replacement is due to author error. Version is same as origina

A Tree-Loop Duality Relation at Two Loops and Beyond

The duality relation between one-loop integrals and phase-space integrals, developed in a previous work, is extended to higher-order loops. The duality relation is realized by a modification of the customary +i0 prescription of the Feynman propagators, which compensates for the absence of the multiple-cut contributions that appear in the Feynman tree theorem. We rederive the duality theorem at one-loop order in a form that is more suitable for its iterative extension to higher-loop orders. We explicitly show its application to two- and three-loop scalar master integrals, and we discuss the structure of the occurring cuts and the ensuing results in detail.Comment: 20 pages. Few typos corrected, some additional comments included, Appendix B and one reference added. Final version as published in JHE

Space-like (vs. time-like) collinear limits in QCD: is factorization violated?

We consider the singular behaviour of QCD scattering amplitudes in kinematical configurations where two or more momenta of the external partons become collinear. At the tree level, this behaviour is known to be controlled by factorization formulae in which the singular collinear factor is universal (process independent). We show that this strict (process-independent) factorization is not valid at one-loop and higher-loop orders in the case of the collinear limit in space-like regions (e.g., collinear radiation from initial-state partons). We introduce a generalized version of all-order collinear factorization, in which the space-like singular factors retain some dependence on the momentum and colour charge of the non-collinear partons. We present explicit results on one-loop and two-loop amplitudes for both the two-parton and multiparton collinear limits. At the level of square amplitudes and, more generally, cross sections in hadron--hadron collisions, the violation of strict collinear factorization has implications on the non-abelian structure of logarithmically-enhanced terms in perturbative calculations (starting from the next-to-next-to-leading order) and on various factorization issues of mass singularities (starting from the next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order).Comment: 81 pages, 5 figures, typos corrected in the text, few comments added and inclusion of NOTE ADDED on recent development

Next-to-leading order jet distributions for Higgs boson production via weak-boson fusion

The weak-boson fusion process is expected to provide crucial information on Higgs boson couplings at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The achievable statistical accuracy demands comparison with next-to-leading order QCD calculations, which are presented here in the form of a fully flexible parton Monte Carlo program. QCD corrections are determined for jet distributions and are shown to be modest, of order 5 to 10% in most cases, but reaching 30% occasionally. Remaining scale uncertainties range from order 5% or less for distributions to below +-2% for the Higgs boson cross section in typical weak-boson fusion search regions.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figure

Intense slow beams of bosonic potassium isotopes

We report on an experimental realization of a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D-MOT) that allows the generation of cold atomic beams of 39K and 41K bosonic potassium isotopes. The high measured fluxes up to 1.0x10^11 atoms/s and low atomic velocities around 33 m/s are well suited for a fast and reliable 3D-MOT loading, a basilar feature for new generation experiments on Bose-Einstein condensation of dilute atomic samples. We also present a simple multilevel theoretical model for the calculation of the light-induced force acting on an atom moving in a MOT. The model gives a good agreement between predicted and measured flux and velocity values for our 2D-MOT.Comment: Updated references, 1 figure added, 10 pages, 9 figure

Subtraction Terms for Hadronic Production Processes at Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order

I describe a subtraction scheme for the next-to-next-to-leading order calculation of single inclusive production at hadron colliders. Such processes include Drell-Yan, W^{+/-}, Z and Higgs Boson production. The key to such a calculation is a treatment of initial state radiation which preserves the production characteristics, such as the rapidity distribution, of the process involved. The method builds upon the Dipole Formalism and, with proper modifications, could be applied to deep inelastic scattering and e^+ e^- annihilation to hadrons.Comment: 4 page

A next-to-next-to-leading order calculation of soft-virtual cross sections

We compute the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) soft and virtual QCD corrections for the partonic cross section of colourless-final state processes in hadronic collisions. The results are valid to all orders in the dimensional regularization parameter \ep. The dependence of the results on a particular process is given through finite contributions to the one and two-loop amplitudes. To evaluate the accuracy of the soft-virtual approximation we compare it with the full NNLO result for Drell-Yan and Higgs boson production via gluon fusion. We also provide a universal expression for the hard coefficient needed to perform threshold resummation up to next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic (NNLL) accuracy.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figure

Direct Photons at RHIC

The PHENIX experiment has measured direct photons in $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200$ GeV Au+Au collisions and p+p collisions. The fraction of photons due to direct production in Au+Au collisions is shown as a function of $p_T$ and centrality. This measurement is compared with expectation from pQCD calculations. Other possible sources of direct photons are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, presented at Hot Quarks 2004, Taos, N

Joint Resummation for Higgs Production

We study the application of the joint resummation formalism to Higgs production via gluon-gluon fusion at the LHC, defining inverse transforms by analytic continuation. We work at next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy. We find that at low Q_T the resummed Higgs Q_T distributions are comparable in the joint and pure-Q_T formalisms, with relatively small influence from threshold enhancement in this range. We find a modest (about ten percent) decrease in the inclusive cross section, relative to pure threshold resummation.Comment: 22 pages, LaTeX, 5 figures as eps file

QCD corrections to vector boson fusion processes

NLO QCD corrections to H, W and Z production via vector boson fusion have recently been calculated in the form of flexible parton level Monte Carlo programs. This allows for the calculation of distributions and cross sections with cuts at NLO accuracy. Some features of the calculation, as well as results for the LHC, are reviewed.Comment: 1 style file, 1 latex file, 5 figures, Contribution to the Proceedings of "Loops and Legs in Quantum Field Theory, 2004", Zinnowitz, Usedom Island, Germany, April, 200