Precision phenomenology with fiducial cross sections in the triple-differential Drell-Yan process

The production of lepton pairs (Drell-Yan process) at the LHC is being measured to high precision, enabling the extraction of distributions that are triply differential in the di-lepton mass and rapidity as well as in the scattering angle described by the leptons. The measurements are performed for a fiducial phase space, defined by cuts on the individual lepton momenta and rapidities. Based on the ATLAS triple-differential Drell-Yan measurement at 8 TeV, we perform a detailed investigation of the phenomenology of this process based on state-of-the-art perturbative predictions in QCD and the electroweak theory. Our results demonstrate the highly non-trivial interplay between measurement variables and fiducial cuts, which leads to forbidden regions at Born level, and induces sensitivity on extra particle emissions from higher perturbative orders. We also investigate the sensitivity of the measurement on parton distributions and electroweak parameters. We derive Standard-Model theory predictions which combine NNLO QCD and NLO EW corrections and include partial (NLO)-L-3 QCD as well as higher-order EW corrections where appropriate. Our results will enable the use of the triple-differential Drell-Yan data in a precise experimental determination of the weak mixing angle.

Automated summary

The production of lepton pairs at the LHC is measured to high precision, allowing for the extraction of triple-differential distributions in di-lepton mass, rapidity, and scattering angle. The measurements are performed within a specific phase space defined by cuts on lepton momenta and rapidities. This study investigates the phenomenology of the process based on perturbative predictions in QCD and electroweak theory, considering the interplay between measurement variables and fiducial cuts and the sensitivity to extra particle emissions and parton distributions. The results enable a precise determination of the weak mixing angle.