Infrared renormalons in kinematic distributions for hadron collider processes

Infrared renormalons in Quantum Chromodynamics are associated with non-perturbative corrections to short distance observables. Linear renormalons, i.e. such that the associated non-perturbative corrections scale like one inverse power of the hard scale, can affect at a non-negligible level even the very high-energy phenomena studied at the Large Hadron Collider. Using an Abelian model, we study the presence of linear renormalons in the transverse momentum distribution of a neutral vector boson Z produced in hadronic collisions. We consider a process where the Z transverse momentum is balanced by a sizable recoil against a coloured final state particle. One may worry that such a colour configuration, not being azimuthally symmetric, could generate unbalanced soft radiation, associated in turn with linear infrared renormalons affecting the transverse momentum distribution of the vector boson. We performed a numerical calculation of the renormalon effects for this process in the so-called large b(0) limit. We found no evidence of linear renormalons in the transverse momentum distribution of the Z in the large transverse-momentum region, irrespective of rapidity cuts.

Automated summary

In this study, the presence of infrared and linear renormalons in Quantum Chromodynamics was investigated in relation to their impact on short distance observables. Using an Abelian model, linear renormalons were found to affect the transverse momentum distribution of a neutral vector boson Z in hadronic collisions under certain conditions, while no evidence of their presence was observed in the large transverse-momentum region regardless of rapidity cuts.