Next-to-Next-to-Leading-Order Charm-Quark Contribution to the CP Violation Parameter epsilon_K and Delta M_K

The observables epsilon_K and Delta M_K play a prominent role in particle physics due to their sensitivity to new physics at short distances. To take advantage of this potential, a firm theoretical prediction of the standard-model background is essential. The charm-quark contribution is a major source of theoretical uncertainty. We address this issue by performing a next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) QCD analysis of the charm-quark contribution eta_cc to the effective |Delta S|=2 Hamiltonian in the standard model. We find a large positive shift of 36%, leading to eta_cc = 1.87(76). This result might cast doubt on the validity of the perturbative expansion; we mention possible solutions. Finally, we give an updated value of the standard-model prediction for |epsilon_K| = 1.81(28) x 10^-3 and Delta M_K(SD) = 3.1(1.2) x 10^-15 GeV.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; typos corrected, references added, extended discussion of results, updated numerics, version as published in PR

Indirect probes of the trilinear Higgs coupling: gg→hgg \to h and h→γγh \to \gamma \gamma

In the framework of the Standard Model effective field theory, we examine the indirect constraints on the trilinear Higgs coupling $\lambda$ that arise from Higgs production in gluon-gluon-fusion and diphoton Higgs decays. We calculate 2-loop contributions to the $gg \to h$ and $h \to \gamma \gamma$ amplitudes that are affected by modifications of the trilinear Higgs-boson vertex. This calculation involves both the computation of anomalous dimensions and finite matching corrections. Based on our new results, we analyse the sensitivity of present and future measurements of the $hgg$ and $h \gamma \gamma$ couplings to shifts in $\lambda$. Under the assumption that $O_6 = - \lambda \left (H^\dagger H \right )^3$ is the only dimension-6 operator that alters the trilinear Higgs interactions, we find that at present the considered loop-level probes provide stronger constraints than $pp \to 2h$. At future high-energy colliders indirect ${\cal O} (5)$ determinations of the trilinear Higgs coupling may be possible, making precision measurements of $gg \to h$ and $h \to \gamma \gamma$ a useful addition to direct extractions of $\lambda$ through double-Higgs production.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

NNLO contributions to epsilon_K and rare kaon decays

We discuss the theory prediction of epsilon_K and the rare K -> pi nu nu-bar decays and review the structure and current status of higher-order contributions to these flavour changing processes in the standard model in some detail. This includes the next-to-next-to-leading order QCD calculation to the charm quark contribution to K+ -> pi+ nu nu-bar and to the charm-top quark contribution to epsilon_K. Electroweak corrections to the rare kaon decays are also discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures; talk given at the 2009 Kaon International Conference (KAON 2009), June 9 - 12, 2009, Tsukuba, Japa

Epsilon_K at Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order: The Charm-Top-Quark Contribution

We perform a next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD analysis of the charm-top-quark contribution eta_ct to the effective Delta S = 2 Hamiltonian in the Standard Model. eta_ct represents an important part of the short distance contribution to the parameter epsilon_K. We calculate the three-loop anomalous dimension of the leading operator Q_S2, the three-loop mixing of the current-current and penguin operators into Q_S2, and the corresponding two-loop matching conditions at the electroweak, the bottom-quark, and the charm-quark scale. As our final numerical result we obtain eta_ct = 0.496 +/- 0.047, which is roughly 7% larger than the next-to-leading-order (NLO) value eta_ct(NLO) = 0.457 +/- 0.073. This results in a prediction for epsilon_K = (1.90 +/- 0.26) x 10^(-3), which corresponds to an enhancement of approximately 3.3% with respect to the value obtained using eta_ct(NLO).Comment: 36 pages, 11 figures; typos corrected, updated numerics using input from PDG 2010, version accepted for publication in PR

Electroweak Corrections to Bs,d→ℓ+ℓ−B_{s,d} \to \ell^+ \ell^-

We calculate the full two-loop electroweak matching corrections to the operator governing the decay B_q --> l^+ l^- in the Standard Model. Their inclusion removes an electroweak scheme and scale uncertainty of about 7% of the branching ratio. Using different renormalization schemes of the involved electroweak parameters, we estimate residual perturbative electroweak and QED uncertainties to be less than 1% at the level of the branching ratio.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, supplementary Mathematica file "c10.m" with analytical results; v2: references update

Benchmarks for Higgs effective theory: extended Higgs sectors

Precise measurements of SM particles properties at the LHC allows to look for heavy New Physics in the context of an Effective Field Theory (EFT). These searches, however, often rely on kinematic regions where the validity of the EFT may be compromised. In this paper we propose to address this issue by comparing with benchmark models. The connection between models and their manifestations as EFTs at low energies allows us to quantify the breakdown of the EFT, and describe ways to combine different sources of constraints beyond Higgs physics. To illustrate these techniques, in this paper we propose a set of benchmark models based on extensions of the Higgs sector, namely the inclusion of a singlet, a dilaton and generic 2HDMs. We obtain the matching between these models and the EFT involving the Higgs, electroweak bosons and fermions. We then describe current and future indirect and direct constraints, consider the effect of correlations among the coefficients within models, and discuss the validity of the EFT

The supersymmetric Higgs sector and B-Bbar mixing for large tan beta

We match the Higgs sector of the most general flavour breaking and CP violating minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) onto a generic two-Higgs-doublet model, paying special attention to the definition of tan beta in the effective theory. In particular no tan beta-enhanced loop corrections appear in the relation to tan beta defined in the DRbar scheme in the MSSM. The corrections to the Higgs-mediated flavour-changing amplitudes which result from this matching are especially relevant for the B_d and B_s mass differences dM_s,d for minimal flavour violation, where the superficially leading contribution vanishes. We give a symmetry argument to explain this cancellation and perform a systematic study of all Higgs-mediated effects, including Higgs loops. The corrections to dM_s are at most 7% for mu>0 and M_A < 600 if constraints from other observables are taken into account. For mu<0 they can be larger, but are always less than about 20%. Contrary to recent claims we do not find numerically large contributions here, nor do we find any tan beta-enhanced contributions from loop corrections to the Higgs potential in B^+ -> tau^+ nu or B -> X_s gamma. We further update supersymmetric loop corrections to the Yukawa couplings, where we include all possible CP-violating phases and correct errors in the literature. The possible presence of CP-violating phases generated by Higgs exchange diagrams is briefly discussed as well. Finally we provide improved values for the bag factors P^VLL_1, P^LR_2, and P^SLL_1 at the electroweak scale.Comment: 61 page

Precise MS-bar light-quark masses from lattice QCD in the RI/SMOM scheme

We compute the conversion factors needed to obtain the MS-bar and RGI up, down, and strange-quark masses at next-to-next-to-leading order from the corresponding parameters renormalized in the recently proposed RI/SMOM and RI/SMOM_gamma_mu renormalization schemes. This is important for obtaining the MS-bar masses with the best possible precision from numerical lattice-QCD simulations, because the customary RI(')/MOM scheme is afflicted with large irreducible uncertainties both on the lattice and in perturbation theory. We find that the smallness of the known one-loop matching coefficients is accompanied by even smaller two-loop contributions. From a study of residual scale dependences, we estimate the resulting perturbative uncertainty on the light-quark masses to be about 2% in the RI/SMOM scheme and about 3% in the RI/SMOM_gamma_mu scheme. Our conversion factors are given in fully analytic form, for general covariant gauge and renormalization point. We provide expressions for the associated anomalous dimensions.Comment: Added results for the RI/SMOM_gamma_mu scheme and anomalous dimensions; typos fixed (results unchanged); added reference

Constraints on the trilinear Higgs coupling from vector boson fusion and associated Higgs production at the LHC

We examine the constraints on the trilinear Higgs coupling λ that originate from associated (V h) and vector boson fusion (VBF) Higgs production in pp collisions in the context of the Standard Model effective field theory. The 1-loop contributions to pp → Vh and pp → jjh that stem from insertions of the dimension-6 operator O 6 = −λ (H † H)3 are calculated and combined with the $\mathcal{O}\left(\lambda \right)$ corrections to the partial decay widths of the Higgs boson. Employing next-to-next-to-leading order QCD predictions, we analyse the sensitivity of current and forthcoming measurements of the signal strengths in Vh and VBF Higgs production to changes in λ. We show that future LHC runs may be able to probe modifications of λ with a sensitivity similar to the one that is expected to arise from determinations of double-Higgs production. The sensitivity of differential Vh and VBF Higgs distributions to a modified h 3 coupling is also studied