Search

Lepton scattering is an established ideal tool for studying inner structure of small particles such as nucleons as well as nuclei. As a future high energy nuclear physics project, an Electron-ion collider in China (EicC) has been proposed. It will be constructed based on an upgraded heavy-ion accelerator, High Intensity heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) which is currently under construction, together with a new electron ring. The proposed collider will provide highly polarized electrons (with a polarization of $\sim$80%) and protons (with a polarization of $\sim$70%) with variable center of mass energies from 15 to 20 GeV and the luminosity of (2-3) $\times$ 10$^{33}$ cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$. Polarized deuterons and Helium-3, as well as unpolarized ion beams from Carbon to Uranium, will be also available at the EicC. The main foci of the EicC will be precision measurements of the structure of the nucleon in the sea quark region, including 3D tomography of nucleon; the partonic structure of nuclei and the parton interaction with the nuclear environment; the exotic states, especially those with heavy flavor quark contents. In addition, issues fundamental to understanding the origin of mass could be addressed by measurements of heavy quarkonia near-threshold production at the EicC. In order to achieve the above-mentioned physics goals, a hermetical detector system will be constructed with cutting-edge technologies. This document is the result of collective contributions and valuable inputs from experts across the globe. The EicC physics program complements the ongoing scientific programs at the Jefferson Laboratory and the future EIC project in the United States. The success of this project will also advance both nuclear and particle physics as well as accelerator and detector technology in China., EicC white paper, written by the whole EicC working group

The forward-backward asymmetry (AFB) in the Drell-Yan process pp/pp¯→Zγ*→ℓ+ℓ− is sensitive to the proton structure information. Such information has been factorized into well-defined proton structure parameters which can be regarded as experimental observables. In this paper, we extract the structure parameters from the AFB distributions reported by the CMS Collaboration in pp collisions at s=8 TeV, and by the D0 Collaboration in pp¯ collisions at s=1.96 TeV. It is the first time that the unique parton information in the AFB spectrum can be decoupled from the electroweak calculation and measured as standalone observables, which can be used as new data constraints in the global quantum chromodynamics analysis of the parton distribution functions. Although the parton information in the pp and pp¯ collisions are different, and the precisions are statistically limited, the results from both the hadron colliders indicate that the down quark contribution might be higher in the data than their theoretical predictions.

The forward-backward charge asymmetry (AFB) at hadron colliders is sensitive to both the electroweak (EW) symmetry breaking represented by the effective weak mixing angle sin2θeffℓ, and the proton structure information in the initial state modeled by the parton distribution functions (PDFs). Due to their strong correlation, the precisions of determination on sin2θeffℓ and PDFs using the measured AFB spectrum are limited. In this paper, we define a set of structure parameters which factorize the unique proton information of the relative difference between quarks and antiquarks in the AFB observation. Other than the conventional way of extracting sin2θeffℓ from the convolution of PDF and EW calculations, we propose a new method to simultaneously determine the value of sin2θeffℓ and the proton structure terms by fitting to the observed AFB distribution, and point out the necessity of specifying additional observations to further reduce the uncertainties on the proton structure terms, respectively, so that model-independent high precision sin2θeffℓ and proton structure measurements can be achieved at the future LHC experiments.

We propose the boost asymmetry of the diboson productions qiq¯j→VV′ in pp collisions (VV′=Wγ, W+W−, and WZ) as a new experimental observable, which can provide unique information on the proton structure. The boost asymmetry rises as the difference in the kinematics of the two bosons, that are coupled to the two different quark and antiquark initial states, respectively, and thus reflects different features of the qi and q¯j parton densities. By comparing the kinematics of the two bosons, such as the boson energy or rapidity, the diboson events with q¯j having higher energy than qi can be distinguished from those with qi having higher energy than q¯j. This would provide unique information in some special parton momentum fraction regions, which cannot be directly proved by current W and Z measurements at the Large Hadron Collider or other deep inelastic scattering experiments.

A precise knowledge of the quark and gluon structure of the proton, encoded by the parton distribution functions (PDFs), is of paramount importance for the interpretation of high-energy processes at present and future lepton-hadron and hadron-hadron colliders. Motivated by recent progress in the PDF determinations carried out by the CT, MSHT, and NNPDF groups, we present an updated combination of global PDF fits: PDF4LHC21. It is based on the Monte Carlo combination of the CT18, MSHT20, and NNPDF3.1 sets followed by either its Hessian reduction or its replica compression. Extensive benchmark studies are carried out in order to disentangle the origin of the differences between the three global PDF sets. In particular, dedicated fits based on almost identical theory settings and input datasets are performed by the three groups, highlighting the role played by the respective fitting methodologies. We compare the new PDF4LHC21 combination with its predecessor, PDF4LHC15, demonstrating their good overall consistency and a modest reduction of PDF uncertainties for key LHC processes such as electroweak gauge boson production and Higgs boson production in gluon fusion. We study the phenomenological implications of PDF4LHC21 for a representative selection of inclusive, fiducial, and differential cross sections at the LHC. The PDF4LHC21 combination is made available via the LHAPDF library and provides a robust, user-friendly, and efficient method to estimate the PDF uncertainties associated to theoretical calculations for the upcoming Run III of the LHC and beyond., Comment: 87 pages, 44 figures, 11 tables

We discuss heavy-flavor production at hadron colliders in recent global QCD analyses to determine parton distribution functions (PDFs) in the proton. We discuss heavy-flavor treatments in precision theory predictions at the LHC. In particular, we discuss factorization schemes in presence of heavy flavors in proton-proton collisions, as well as the impact of heavy-flavor production at the LHC on PDFs. We show results of recent updates beyond CT18, the latest global QCD analysis from the CTEQ-TEA group., Comment: 7 pages, 3 Figures, QCD@work 2022, International Workshop on QCD, Theory and Experiment, Conference Proceeding

We review progress in the global QCD analysis by the CTEQ-TEA group since the publication of CT18 parton distribution functions (PDFs) in the proton. Specifically, we discuss comparisons of CT18 NNLO predictions with the LHC 13 TeV measurements as well as with the FNAL SeaQuest and BNL STAR data on lepton pair production. The specialized CT18X PDFs approximating saturation effects are compared with the CT18sx PDFs obtained using NLL/NLO small-$x$ resummation. Short summaries are presented for the special CT18 parton distributions with fitted charm and with lattice QCD inputs. A recent comparative analysis of the impact of deuteron nuclear effects on the parton distributions by the CTEQ-JLab and CTEQ-TEA groups is summarized., 16 pages, 7 figures

We investigate the parton distribution function (PDF) uncertainty in the measurement of the effective weak mixing angle $\sin^2\theta_{\text{eff}}^{\ell}$ at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The PDF-induced uncertainty is large in the proton-proton collisions at the LHC due to the dilution effect. The measurement of the Drell-Yan forward-backward asymmetry ($A_{FB}$) at the LHC can be used to reduce the PDF uncertainty in the $\sin^2\theta_{\text{eff}}^{\ell}$ measurement. However, when including the full mass range of lepton pairs in the $A_{FB}$ data analysis, the correlation between the PDF updating procedure and the $\sin^2\theta_{\text{eff}}^{\ell}$ extraction leads to a sizable bias in the obtained $\sin^2\theta_{\text{eff}}^{\ell}$ value. From our studies, we find that the bias can be significantly reduced by removing Drell-Yan events with invariant mass around the $Z$ pole region, while most of the sensitivity in reducing the PDF uncertainty remains. Furthermore, the lepton charge asymmetry in the $W$ boson events as a function of the rapidity of the charged leptons, $A_\pm(\eta_\ell)$, is known to be another observable which can be used to reduce the PDF uncertainty in the $\sin^2\theta_{\text{eff}}^{\ell}$ measurement. The constraint from $A_\pm(\eta_\ell)$ is complementary to that from the $A_{FB}$, thus no bias affects the $\sin^2\theta_{\text{eff}}^{\ell}$ extraction. The studies are performed using the Error PDF Updating Method Package ({\sc ePump}), which is based on the Hessian updating methods. In this article, the CT14HERA2 PDF set is used as an example., Comment: submitted to Chinese Physics C

Understanding how sea quarks behave inside a nucleon is one of the most important physics goals of the proposed Electron-Ion Collider in China (EicC), which is designed to have 3.5 GeV polarized electron beam (80% polarization) colliding with 20 GeV polarized proton beam (70% polarization) at instantaneous luminosity of $2 \times 10^{33} {\rm cm}^{-2} {\rm s}^{-1}$. A specific topic at EicC is to understand the polarization of individual quarks inside a longitudinally polarized nucleon. The potential of various future EicC data, including the inclusive and semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering data from both doubly polarized electron-proton and electron-$^3{\rm He}$ collisions, to reduce the uncertainties of parton helicity distributions is explored at the next-to-leading order in QCD, using the Error PDF Updating Method Package ({\sc ePump}) which is based on the Hessian profiling method. We show that the semi-inclusive data are well able to provide good separation between flavour distributions, and to constrain their uncertainties in the $x>0.005$ region, especially when electron-$^3{\rm He}$ collisions, acting as effective electron-neutron collisions, are taken into account. To enable this study, we have generated a Hessian representation of the DSSV14 set of PDF replicas, named DSSV14H PDFs., 40 pages, 12 figures

The strong force which binds hadrons is described by the theory of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Determining the character and manifestations of QCD is one of the most important and challenging outstanding issues necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the structure of hadrons. Within the context of the QCD parton picture, the Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs) have been remarkably successful in describing a wide variety of processes. However, these PDFs have generally been confined to the description of collinear partons within the hadron. New experiments and facilities provide the opportunity to additionally explore the transverse structure of hadrons which is described by Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) and Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distribution Functions (TMD PDFs). In our previous review, we compared and contrasted the two main approaches used to determine the collinear PDFs: the first based on perturbative QCD factorization theorems, and the second based on lattice QCD calculations. In the present report, we provide an update of recent progress on the collinear PDFs, and also expand the scope to encompass the generalized PDFs (GPDs and TMD PDFs). We review the current state of the various calculations, and consider what new data might be available in the near future. We also examine how a shared effort can foster dialog between the PDF and Lattice QCD communities, and yield improvements for these generalized PDFs., 2020 PDFLattice Report, 64 pages, 34 figures

Recently, two photon PDF sets based on implementations of the LUX ansatz into the CT18 global analysis were released. In CT18lux, the photon PDF is calculated directly using the LUX master formula for all scales, $\mu$. In an alternative realization, CT18qed, the photon PDF is initialized at the starting scale, $\mu_0$, using the LUX formulation and evolved to higher scales $\mu(>\mu_0)$ with a combined QED+QCD kernel at $\mathcal{O}(\alpha),~\mathcal{O}(\alpha\alpha_s)$ and $\mathcal{O}(\alpha^2)$. In the small-$x$ region, the photon PDF uncertainty is mainly induced by the quark and gluon PDFs, through the perturbative DIS structure functions. In comparison, the large-$x$ photon uncertainty comes from various low-energy, nonperturbative contributions, including variations of the inelastic structure functions in the resonance and continuum regions, higher-twist and target-mass corrections, and elastic electromagnetic form factors of the proton. We take the production of doubly-charged Higgs pairs, $(H^{++}H^{--})$, as an example of scenarios beyond the Standard Model to illustrate the phenomenological implications of these photon PDFs at the LHC., Comment: Submission to SciPost

LHC $t\bar{t}$ data have the potential to provide constraints on the gluon distribution, especially at high $x$, with both ATLAS and CMS performing differential measurements. Recently, CMS has measured double-differential $t\bar{t}$ distributions at 8 TeV. In this paper we examine the impact of this data set on the gluon distribution. To that end we develop novel, double-differential NNLO predictions for that data. No significant impact is found when the CMS data is added to the CT14HERA2 global PDF fit, due to the larger impact of the inclusive jet data from both the Tevatron and the LHC. If the jet data are removed from the fit, then an impact is observed. If the CMS data is scaled by a larger weight, representing the greater statistical power of the jet data, a roughly equal impact on the gluon distribution is observed for the $t\bar{t}$ as for the inclusive jet data. For data samples with higher integrated luminosity at 13 TeV, a more significant impact of the double-differential $t\bar{t}$ data may be observed., Comment: 31 pages,22 figures, 6 tables

We study the potential of the LHCb 13 TeV single $W^{\pm}$ and $Z$ boson pseudo-data for constraining the parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton. As an example, we demonstrate the sensitivity of the LHCb 13 TeV data, collected with integrated luminosities of 5 fb$^{-1}$ and 300 fb$^{-1}$, to reducing the PDF uncertainty bands of the CT14HERA2 PDFs, using the error PDF updating package {\sc ePump}. The sensitivities of various experimental observables are compared. Generally, sizable reductions in PDF uncertainties can be observed in the 300 fb$^{-1}$ data sample, particularly in the small-$x$ region. The double-differential cross section measurement of $Z$ boson $p_T$ and rapidity can greatly reduce the uncertainty bands of $u$ and $d$ quarks in almost the whole $x$ range, as compared to various single observable measurements., Comment: 25 pages, 13 figures

In an earlier publication, we introduced the software package, {\tt \texttt{ePump}} (error PDF Updating Method Package), that can be used to update or optimize a set of parton distribution functions (PDFs), including the best-fit PDF set and Hessian eigenvector pairs of PDF sets (i.e., error PDFs), and to update any other set of observables, in the Hessian approach. Here, we validate the {\tt \texttt{ePump}} program with a detailed comparison against a full global analysis, and we demonstrate the potential of {\tt \texttt{ePump}} by presenting selected phenomenological applications relevant to the Large Hadron Collider. For example, we use the package to estimate the impact of the recent LHC data of the measurements of $W$, $Z$ boson and top quark pair differential distributions on the CT14HERA2 PDFs.

We discuss implementation of the LHC experimental data sets in the new CT18 global analysis of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) at the next-to-next-leading order of the QCD coupling strength. New methodological developments in the fitting methodology are discussed. Behavior of the CT18 NNLO PDFs for the conventional and "saturation-inspired" factorization scales in deep-inelastic scattering is reviewed. Four new families of (N)NLO CTEQ-TEA PDFs are presented: CT18, A, X, and Z.

Uncertainties in the parametrization of parton distribution functions (PDFs) are becoming a serious limiting systematic uncertainty in Large Hadron Collider (LHC) searches for beyond the standard model physics. This is especially true for measurements at high scales induced by quark and anti-quark collisions, where Drell-Yan continuum backgrounds are dominant. Tools are recently available which enable exploration of PDF fitting strategies and emulate the effects of new data in a future global fit. ePump is such a tool and it is shown that judicious selection of measurable kinematical quantities can reduce the assigned systematic PDF uncertainties by significant factors. This will be made possible by the huge statistical precision of future LHC standard model datasets.

We present the new parton distribution functions (PDFs) from the CTEQ-TEA collaboration, obtained using a wide variety of high-precision Large Hadron Collider (LHC) data, in addition to the combined HERA I+II deep-inelastic scattering data set, along with the data sets present in the CT14 global QCD analysis. New LHC measurements in single-inclusive jet production with the full rapidity coverage, as well as production of Drell-Yan pairs, top-quark pairs, and high-$p_T$ $Z$ bosons, are included to achieve the greatest sensitivity to the PDFs. The parton distributions are determined at NLO and NNLO, with each of these PDFs accompanied by error sets determined using the Hessian method. Fast PDF survey techniques, based on the Hessian representation and the Lagrange Multiplier method, are used to quantify the preference of each data set to quantities such as $\alpha_s(m_Z)$, and the gluon and strange quark distributions. We designate the main resulting PDF set as CT18. The ATLAS 7 TeV precision $W/Z$ data are not included in CT18, due to their tension with other data sets in the global fit. Alternate PDF sets are generated including the ATLAS precision 7 TeV $W/Z$ data (CT18A), a new scale choice for low-$x$ DIS data (CT18X), or all of the above with a slightly higher choice for the charm mass (CT18Z). Theoretical calculations of standard candle cross sections at the LHC (such as the $gg$ fusion Higgs boson cross section) are presented., Comment: 106 pages + 10 pages supplemental material, 88 figures and 13 tables; discussions expanded with additional results and references

By applying the Error PDF Updating Method, we analyze the impact of the absolute and normalized single differential cross-sections for top-quark pair production data from the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, at a center-of-mass energy of TeV, on the CT14HERA2 PDFs. We find that the top quark pair single differential distributions provide minor constraints on the CT14HERA2 gluon PDF when the nominal CT14HERA2 inclusive jet production data are included in the fit. Larger constraints on the gluon distribution are present when the jet data are removed (CT14HERA2mJ) and/or when increased weights are given to the top data in the CT14HERA2 fits. The weighted data provide significant constraints on the CT14HERA2mJ gluon PDF, which are comparable to those obtained from inclusive jet production data. Furthermore, we examine the top quark mass sensitivity of the top-quark pair single differential distributions.

Determinations of the proton's collinear parton distribution functions (PDFs) are emerging with growing precision due to increased experimental activity at facilities like the Large Hadron Collider. While this copious information is valuable, the speed at which it is released makes it difficult to quickly assess its impact on the PDFs, short of performing computationally expensive global fits. As an alternative, we explore new methods for quantifying the potential impact of experimental data on the extraction of proton PDFs. Our approach relies crucially on the Hessian correlation between theory-data residuals and the PDFs themselves, as well as on a newly defined quantity --- the sensitivity --- which represents an extension of the correlation and reflects both PDF-driven and experimental uncertainties. This approach is realized in a new, publicly available analysis package PDFSense, which operates with these statistical measures to identify particularly sensitive experiments, weigh their relative or potential impact on PDFs, and visualize their detailed distributions in a space of the parton momentum fraction $x$ and factorization scale $\mu$. This tool offers a new means of understanding the influence of individual measurements in existing fits, as well as a predictive device for directing future fits toward the highest impact data and assumptions. Along the way, many new physics insights can be gained or reinforced. As one of many examples, PDFSense is employed to rank the projected impact of new LHC measurements in jet, vector boson, and $t\bar{t}$ production and leads us to the conclusion that inclusive jet production at the LHC has a potential for playing an indispensable role in future PDF fits. These conclusions are independently verified by preliminarily fitting this experimental information and investigating the constraints they supply using the Lagrange multiplier technique., Comment: 43 pages, 10 figures, 17 tables --- published in Phys. Rev. D and validated against Lagrange Multiplier scans in Sect.IV.D. Minor clarification added to Table XIV of the Supplemental Material

The possibility of a (sizable) nonperturbative contribution to the charm parton distribution function (PDF) in a nucleon is investigated together with theoretical issues arising in its interpretation. Results from the global PDF analysis are presented. The separation of the universal component of the nonperturbative charm from the rest of the radiative contributions is discussed and the potential impact of a nonperturbative charm PDF on LHC scattering processes is illustrated. An estimate of nonperturbative charm magnitude in the CT14 and CT14HERA2 global QCD analyses at the next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) in the QCD coupling strength is given by including the latest experimental data from HERA and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). A comparison between different models of intrinsic charm is shown and prospects for standard candle observables at the LHC are illustrated., 7 pages, 2 figures. Conference Proceedings of CIPANP2018, 13th Conference on the Intersections of Particle and Nuclear Physics, May 29 - June 3, 2018 Palm Springs, CA. Based on arXiv: 1707.00657, published in JHEP 1802 (2018) 059

Recent high precision experimental data from a variety of hadronic processes opens new opportunities for determination of the collinear parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton. In fact, the wealth of information from experiments such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and others, makes it difficult to quickly assess the impact on the PDFs, short of performing computationally expensive global fits. As an alternative, we explore new methods for quantifying the potential impact of experimental data on the extraction of proton PDFs. Our approach relies crucially on the correlation between theory-data residuals and the PDFs themselves, as well as on a newly defined quantity --- the sensitivity --- which represents an extension of the correlation and reflects both PDF-driven and experimental uncertainties. This approach is realized in a new, publicly available analysis package PDFSense, which operates with these statistical measures to identify particularly sensitive experiments, weigh their relative or potential impact on PDFs, and visualize their detailed distributions in a space of the parton momentum fraction x and factorization scale mu. This tool offers a new means of understanding the influence of individual measurements in existing fits, as well as a predictive device for directing future fits toward the highest impact data and assumptions.

We investigate the possibility of a (sizable) nonperturbative contribution to the charm parton distribution function (PDF) in a nucleon, theoretical issues arising in its interpretation, and its potential impact on LHC scattering processes. The "fitted charm" PDF obtained in various QCD analyses contains a process-dependent component that is partly traced to power-suppressed radiative contributions in DIS and is generally different at the LHC. We discuss separation of the universal component of the nonperturbative charm from the rest of the radiative contributions and estimate its magnitude in the CT14 global QCD analysis at the next-to-next-to leading order in the QCD coupling strength, including the latest experimental data from HERA and the Large Hadron Collider. Models for the nonperturbative charm PDF are examined as a function of the charm quark mass and other parameters. The prospects for testing these models in the associated production of a Z boson and a charm jet at the LHC are studied under realistic assumptions, including effects of the final-state parton showering., Comment: 57 pages, 19 figures, and 3 tables

We present a study in which the possibility of a (sizable) nonperturbative contribution to the charm parton distribution function (PDF) in a nucleon is investigated together with theoretical issues arising in its interpretation. The separation of the universal component of the nonperturbative charm from the rest of the radiative contributions is also discussed. We illustrate the potential impact of a nonperturbative charm PDF on LHC scattering processes. An estimate of nonperturbative charm magnitude in the CT14 and CT14HERA2 global QCD analyses at the next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) in the QCD coupling strength is given by including the latest experimental data from HERA and the Large Hadron Collider. We show a comparison between different models of intrinsic charm and illustrate prospects for standard candle observables at the LHC.

We analyze the impact of the recent HERA run I+II combination of inclusive deep inelastic scattering cross-section data on the CT14 global analysis of PDFs. New PDFs at NLO and NNLO, called CT14$_{\textrm{HERA2}}$, are obtained by a refit of the CT14 data ensembles, in which the HERA run I combined measurements are replaced by the new HERA run I+II combination. The CT14 functional parametrization of PDFs is flexible enough to allow good descriptions of different flavor combinations, so we use the same parametrization for CT14$_{\textrm{HERA2}}$ but with an additional shape parameter for describing the strange quark PDF. We find that the HERA I+II data can be fit reasonably well, and both CT14 and CT14$_{\textrm{HERA2}}$ PDFs can describe equally well the non-HERA data included in our global analysis. Because the CT14 and CT14$_{\textrm{HERA2}}$ PDFs agree well within the PDF errors, we continue to recommend CT14 PDFs for the analysis of LHC Run 2 experiments., Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures and 3 tables

In the context of the CT14 analysis of parton distribution functions, we propose a new technique for generation of Monte-Carlo replica sets from Hessian eigenvector sets. The technique preserves non-negative behavior and asymmetry properties of Hessian eigenvector sets. The generated ensemble of Monte-Carlo replicas is suitable for various applications, such as Bayesian reweighting and combination of PDF ensembles.

We explore connections between two common methods for quantifying the uncertainty in parton distribution functions (PDFs), based on the Hessian error matrix and Monte-Carlo sampling. CT14 parton distributions in the Hessian representation are converted into Monte-Carlo replicas by a numerical method that reproduces important properties of CT14 Hessian PDFs: the asymmetry of CT14 uncertainties and positivity of individual parton distributions. The ensembles of CT14 Monte-Carlo replicas constructed this way at NNLO and NLO are suitable for various collider applications, such as cross section reweighting. Master formulas for computation of asymmetric standard deviations in the Monte-Carlo representation are derived. A correction is proposed to address a bias in asymmetric uncertainties introduced by the Taylor series approximation. A numerical program is made available for conversion of Hessian PDFs into Monte-Carlo replicas according to normal, log-normal, and Watt-Thorne sampling procedures., 21 pages, 10 figures; final JHEP version, extended Sec. 2 to discuss sampling of asymmetric PDF replica distributions with imposed positivity constraints

A brief description of the impact of the recent HERA run I+II combination of inclusive deep inelastic scattering cross-section data on the CT14 global analysis of PDFs is given. The new CT14HERA2 PDFs at NLO and NNLO are illustrated. They employ the same parametrization used in the CT14 analysis, but with an additional shape parameter for describing the strange quark PDF. The HERA I+II data are reasonably well described by both CT14 and CT14HERA2 PDFs, and differences are smaller than the PDF uncertainties of the standard CT14 analysis. Both sets are acceptable when the error estimates are calculated in the CTEQ-TEA (CT) methodology and the standard CT14 PDFs are recommended to be continuously used for the analysis of LHC measurements.

A brief description of the CT14 global analysis of quantum chromodynamics at next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO) from the CTEQ-TEA group is given. Predictions for standard candle processes at the LHC are illustrated together with the main features of the CT14 parton distribution functions.

We explore a new possibility of electroweak baryogenesis in the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model. In this model, a strong first-order electroweak phase transition can be achieved due to the additional singlet Higgs field. The new impact of its superpartner (singlino) on the baryon asymmetry is investigated by employing the closed-time-path formalism. We find that the CP violating source term fueled by the singlino could be large enough to generate the observed baryon asymmetry of the Universe without any conflicts with the current constraints from the non-observation of the Thallium, neutron and Mercury electric dipole moments., Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures. To appear in PLB

In this paper we calculate the total and fiducial cross sections as well as differential distributions for the Higgs-strahlung or VH process $p p \to VH \to l\nu_l/l^- l^+ + H$, (V = W or Z, l=e,$\mu$) including QCD and electro-weak corrections up to next-to-leading order before and after reweighting photon PDFs of NNPDF2.3qed, NNPDF3.0qed, MRST2004qed, CT14QEDinc, and LUXqed at the LHC with 13 TeV and Higgs boson mass $\ M_{H}=125$ GeV. The predictions from the various photon PDFs before and after reweighting against each other are in good agreement. The photon PDF uncertainties of the photon-induced cross sections decrease significantly with the reweighting PDFs., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables

We present new parton distribution functions (PDFs) up to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) from the CTEQ-TEA global analysis of quantum chromodynamics. These differ from previous CT PDFs in several respects, including the use of data from LHC experiments and the new D0 charged lepton rapidity asymmetry data, as well as the use of more flexible parametrization of PDFs that, in particular, allows a better fit to different combinations of quark flavors. Predictions for important LHC processes, especially Higgs boson production at 13 TeV, are presented. These CT14 PDFs include a central set and error sets in the Hessian representation. For completeness, we also present the CT14 PDFs determined at the leading order (LO) and the next-to-leading order (NLO) in QCD. Besides these general-purpose PDF sets, we provide a series of (N)NLO sets with various $\alpha_s$ values and additional sets in general-mass variable flavor number (GM-VFN) schemes, to deal with heavy partons, with up to 3, 4, and 6 active flavors., Comment: 56 pages, 42 figures and 6 tables

We study the uncertainties of the Higgs boson production cross section through the gluon fusion subprocess at the LHC (with $\sqrt s=7, 8$ and $14$ TeV) arising from the uncertainties of the parton distribution functions (PDFs) and of the value of the strong coupling constant $\alpha_s(M_Z)$. These uncertainties are computed by two complementary approaches, based on the Hessian and the Lagrange Multiplier methods within the CTEQ-TEA global analysis framework. We find that their predictions for the Higgs boson cross section are in good agreement. Furthermore, the result of the Lagrange Multiplier method supports the prescriptions we have previously provided for using the Hessian method to calculate the combined PDF and $\alpha_s$ uncertainties, and to estimate the uncertainties at the $68\%$ confidence level by scaling them from the $90\%$ confidence level., Comment: 34 pages, 9 figures, and 9 tables

We study the possibility of intrinsic (non-perturbative) charm in parton distribution functions (PDF) of the proton, within the context of the CT10 next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) global analysis. Three models for the intrinsic charm (IC) quark content are compared: (i) $\hat{c}(x) = 0$ (zero-IC model); (ii) $\hat{c}(x)$ is parametrized by a valence-like parton distribution (BHPS model); (iii) $\hat{c}(x)$ is parametrized by a sea-like parton distribution (SEA model). In these models, the intrinsic charm content, $\hat{c}(x)$, is included in the charm PDF at the matching scale $Q_c=m_c=1.3$ GeV. The best fits to data are constructed and compared. Correlations between the value of $m_c$ and the amount of IC are also considered., 35 pages, 20 figures and 2 tables

We perform a study on the predictions of electric-dipole moments of neutron, Mercury (Hg), Thallium (Tl), deuteron, and Radium (Ra) in the framework of next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model with $CP$-violating parameters in the superpotential and soft-supersymmetry-breaking sector. We confine to the case in which only the physical tree-level $CP$ phase (${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\phi}}_{\ensuremath{\kappa}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$), associated with the couplings of the singlet terms in the superpotential and with the vacuum-expectation-values, takes on a nonzero value. We found that the one-loop contributions from neutralinos are mostly small while the two-loop Higgs-mediated contributions of the Barr-Zee type diagrams dominate. We emphasize a scenario motivated by electroweak baryogenesis.

We perform a comprehensive study of the Higgs sector in the framework of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model with CP-violating parameters in the superpotential and in the soft-supersymmetry-breaking sector. Since the CP is no longer a good symmetry, the two CP-odd and the three CP-even Higgs bosons of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model in the CP-conserving limit will mix. We show explicitly how the mass spectrum and couplings to gauge bosons of the various Higgs bosons change when the CP-violating phases take on nonzero values. We include full one-loop and the logarithmically enhanced two-loop effects employing the renormalization-group (RG) improved approach. In addition, the LEP limits, the global minimum condition, and the positivity of the square of the Higgs-boson mass have been imposed. We demonstrate the effects on the Higgs-mass spectrum and the couplings to gauge bosons with and without the RG-improved corrections. Substantial modifications to the allowed parameter space happen because of the changes to the Higgs-boson spectrum and their couplings with the RG-improved corrections. Finally, we calculate the mass spectrum and couplings of the few selected scenarios and compare to the previous results in literature where possible; in particular, we illustrate a scenario motivated by electroweak baryogenesis.

In the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model (NMSSM), the unique $\lambda S H_u H_d$ in the superpotential gives rise to a coupling involving the lighter pseudoscalar Higgs boson and a pair of charged or neutral Higgsinos, even in the limit of zero mixing between the two pseudoscalar Higgs bosons. We study the associated production of a very light pseudoscalar Higgs boson with a pair of charginos. The novel signature involves a pair of charged leptons from chargino decays and a pair of photons from the pseudoscalar Higgs boson decay, plus large missing energy at the LHC and ILC. The signal may help us to distinguish the NMSSM from MSSM, provided that the experiment can resolve the two photons from the decay of the pseudoscalar Higgs boson., Comment: Revtex4, 13 pages including 4 figures. Improved analysis including the opening angle distribution between the two photons from A1 decay

We study the associated production of a very light pseudoscalar Higgs boson with a pair of charginos. The novel signature involves a pair of charged leptons from chargino decays and a pair of photons from the pseudoscalar Higgs boson decay, plus large missing energy at the LHC and ILC. The signal may help us to distinguish the NMSSM from MSSM, provided that the experiment can resolve the two photons from the decay of the pseudoscalar Higgs boson., Comment: pages, 2 figures; to appear in Proceedings of SUSY06, the 14th International Conference on Supersymmetry and the Unification of Fundamental Interactions, UC Irvine, California, 12-17 June 2006

We point out another important production channel of a light pseudoscalar Higgs boson $a_1$ via the decays of neutralinos, including $\widetilde{\chi}_{2,3}^0 \to \widetilde{\chi}_{1}^0 a_1$, in the framework of the NMSSM. We scan the whole parameter space using the most up-to-date version of NMHDECAY and search for regions where $B(\widetilde{\chi}_{2,3}^0 \to \widetilde{\chi}_{1}^0 a_1) > 0.5$. If the gluino and squarks are light enough for copious production of SUSY events at the LHC, there would be numerous number of $\widetilde{\chi}_{2,3}^0$ in subsequent decays of gluinos and squarks. Therefore, the production rates of $a_1$ via neutralino decays would be more important than $h \to a_1 a_1$ and others. Potentially, the final state is filled with many $\tau$ leptons, which can be reconstructed at the mass of $a_1$. This is a clean, observable, and distinguishable signature for NMSSM., Comment: RevTex, 11 pages, 3 figures; references added

Detailed studies have been carried out on the impact of the LHC top quark pair production data on gluon PDF, in the context of the CTEQ-TEA global PDF fit, with the ePump-updating method. The considered $t\bar{t}$ data include single differential distributions from ATLAS and double differential distributions from CMS, both at 8 TeV. All analyses have been carried out at the NNLO, using fastNNLO tables. We show that the sensitivity per data point of the LHC $t\bar{t}$ data is similar to that of jet data, as included in the CT14HERA2 fit, while the total sensitivity of the present $t\bar{t}$ data is not as large as the jet data because of the much smaller number of $t\bar{t}$ data points in the presently available data.

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., Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures