Transverse-momentum resummation for heavy-quark hadroproduction

We consider the production of a pair of heavy quarks ($Q{\bar Q}$) in hadronic collisions. When the transverse momentum $q_T$ of the heavy-quark pair is much smaller than its invariant mass, the QCD perturbative expansion is affected by large logarithmic terms that must be resummed to all-orders. This behavior is well known from the simpler case of hadroproduction of colourless high-mass systems, such as vector or Higgs boson(s). In the case of $Q{\bar Q}$ production, the final-state heavy quarks carry colour charge and are responsible for additional soft radiation (through direct emission and interferences with initial-state radiation) that complicates the evaluation of the logarithmically-enhanced terms in the small-$q_T$ region. We present the all-order resummation structure of the logarithmic contributions, which includes colour flow evolution factors due to soft wide-angle radiation. Resummation is performed at the completely differential level with respect to the kinematical variables of the produced heavy quarks. Soft-parton radiation produces azimuthal correlations that are fully taken into account by the resummation formalism. These azimuthal correlations are entangled with those that are produced by initial-state collinear radiation. We present explicit analytical results up to next-to-leading order and next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy.Comment: Some comments expanded and references added. Version published on NP

A Comparison of Predictions for SM Higgs Boson Production at the LHC

This paper describes a comparison of most of the available predictions for the cross section and transverse momentum distribution for a 125 GeV mass Higgs at the LHC, including those from the PYTHIA and HERWIG parton shower Monte Carlos and from four resummation calculations.Comment: 7 pages, submitted to proceedings of the Workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders, Les Houches 200

Mechanical characterization of mortars used in the restoration of historical buildings: an operative atlas for maintenance and conservation

The complexity of the architectural and structural restoration of historical buildings requires a careful choice in the use of repair mortars compatible with the original materials of the existing building. It is important to set up an atlas of reference, compared to many mixtures of mortars and conglomerates, useful to support the operational choices in the project of restoration, recovery, and maintenance of historical buildings. The aim is also to encourage the use of local materials with a “short supply chain”, compatible with buildings and installed with traditional techniques. The research makes use of experimental bending, compression and elastic modulus tests on different mixtures of mortars. This paper describes some of the first results obtained so far, because the research is still underway for many different mixtures to test and catalog. The comparison between the data and the reference values that will be identified, will lead to set up a reference atlas of mechanical behavior of repair mortars in order to direct the design and operational choices in function of requirements and performance of specific cases in the field of the restoration of historical buildings

ZγZ\gamma production at hadron colliders in NNLO QCD

We consider the production of $Z\gamma$ pairs at hadron colliders. We report on the first complete and fully differential computation of radiative corrections at next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD perturbation theory. We present selected numerical results for pp collisions at 7 TeV and compare them to available LHC data. We find that the impact of the NNLO QCD corrections on the fiducial cross section ranges between 4 and 15%, depending on the applied cuts.Comment: Minor changes, version published on PL

Next to leading order evolution of SIDIS processes in the forward region

We compute the order $\alpha_s^2$ quark initiated corrections to semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering extending the approach developed recently for the gluon contributions. With these corrections we complete the order $\alpha_s^2$ QCD description of these processes, verifying explicitly the factorization of collinear singularities. We also obtain the corresponding NLO evolution kernels, relevant for the scale dependence of fracture functions. We compare the non-homogeneous evolution effects driven by these kernels with those obtained at leading order accuracy and discuss their phenomenological implications.Comment: 18 pages, 4 ps figures, uses revtex4 and feynmf. Accepted for publication in Nuclear Physics

Order-alpha_s^2 corrections to one-particle inclusive processes in DIS

We analyze the order-$\alpha_s^2$ QCD corrections to semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering and present results for processes initiated by a gluon. We focus in the most singular pieces of these corrections in order to obtain the hitherto unknown NLO evolution kernels relevant for the non homogeneous QCD scale dependence of these cross sections, and to check explicitly factorization at this order. In so doing we discuss the prescription of overlapping singularities in more than one variable.Comment: 16 pages, 9 eps figures. Uses revtex4 and feynm

Detachment analysis of dehumidified repair mortars applied to historical masonry walls

An innovative laboratory procedure for the pre-qualification of repair mortars is described. The tested mortars are suitable for use with new dehumidified plasters applied to historical masonry walls. Long-term plaster detachment frequently occurs because of the mechanical incompatibility of mortar. The procedure consists of the application of static loads to mixed stone block-mortar specimens with particular characteristics, in terms of geometry and adhesion at the interface. A numerical simulation based on the cohesive crack model was used to follow the experimental data, in order to describe the evolutionary phenomenon of detachment as a function of a small number of parameters. The methodology is currently being used at Sacro Monte di Varallo Special Natural Reserve (UNESCO heritage site) in Piedmont (Italy

W+W−W^+W^- production at hadron colliders in NNLO QCD

Charged gauge boson pair production at the Large Hadron Collider allows detailed probes of the fundamental structure of electroweak interactions. We present precise theoretical predictions for on-shell $W^+W^-$ production that include, for the first time, QCD effects up to next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbation theory. As compared to next-to-leading order, the inclusive $W^+W^-$ cross section is enhanced by 9% at 7 TeV and 12% at 14 TeV. The residual perturbative uncertainty is at the 3% level. The severe contamination of the $W^+W^-$ cross section due to top-quark resonances is discussed in detail. Comparing different definitions of top-free $W^+W^-$ production in the four and five flavour number schemes, we demonstrate that top-quark resonances can be separated from the inclusive $W^+W^-$ cross section without significant loss of theoretical precision.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure