Next-to-leading order QCD corrections to Z boson pair production via vector-boson fusion
Vector-boson fusion processes are an important tool for the study of electroweak symmetry breaking at hadron colliders, since they allow to distinguish a light Higgs boson scenario from strong weak-boson scattering. We here consider the channels WW{yields}ZZ and ZZ{yields}ZZ as part of electroweak Z boson pair production in association with two tagging jets. We present the calculation of the NLO QCD corrections to the cross sections for pp{yields}e{sup +}e{sup -}{mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -}+2 jets and pp{yields}e{sup +}e{sup -}{nu}{sub {mu}}{nu}{sub {mu}}+2 jets via vector-boson fusion at order {alpha}{sub s}{alpha}{sup 6}, which is performed in the form of a NLO parton-level Monte Carlo program. The corrections to the integrated cross sections are found to be modest, while the shapes of some kinematical distributions change appreciably at NLO. Residual scale uncertainties typically are at the few percent level.

title: Les Houches 2013: Physics at TeV Colliders: Standard Model Working Group Report
abstract: This Report summarizes the proceedings of the 2013 Les Houches workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders. Session 1 dealt primarily with (1) the techniques for calculating standard model multi-leg NLO and NNLO QCD and NLO EW cross sections and (2) the comparison of those cross sections with LHC data from Run 1, and projections for future measurements in Run 2.

title: Longitudinally polarized photoproduction of inclusive hadrons at fixed-target experiments
abstract: We present a detailed phenomenological study of spin-dependent single-inclusive high- pT hadron photoproduction with particular emphasis on the kinematics relevant for the Compass and Hermes fixed-target experiments. We carefully examine the theoretical uncertainties associated with the only moderate transverse momenta accessible in such measurements and analyze the sensitivity of the relevant spin asymmetries to the gluon polarization in the nucleon as well as to the completely unknown parton content of circularly polarized photons.

title: Longitudinally polarized photoproduction of inclusive hadrons beyond the leading order
abstract: We present a complete next-to-leading order QCD calculation for single-inclusive large-pT hadron production in longitudinally polarized lepton-nucleon collisions, consistently including ``direct'' and ``resolved'' photon contributions. This process could be studied experimentally at a future polarized lepton-proton collider like eRHIC at BNL. We examine the sensitivity of such measurements to the so far completely unknown parton content of circularly polarized photons.

title: Gluons and the quark sea at high energies: distributions, polarization, tomography
abstract: This report is based on a ten-week program on Gluons and the quark sea at high-energies, which took place at the Institute for Nuclear Theory (INT) in Seattle in Fall 2010. The principal aim of the program was to develop and sharpen the science case for an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a facility that will be able to collide electrons and positrons with polarized protons and with light to heavy nuclei at high energies, offering unprecedented possibilities for in-depth studies of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). This report is organized around the following four major themes: (i) the spin and flavor structure of the proton, (ii) three dimensional structure of nucleons and nuclei in momentum and configuration space, (iii) QCD matter in nuclei, and (iv) Electroweak physics and the search for physics beyond the Standard Model. Beginning with an executive summary, the report contains tables of key measurements, chapter overviews for each of the major scientific themes, and detailed individual contributions on various aspects of the scientific opportunities presented by an EIC.

title: LONGITUDINAL GLUON POLARIZATION IN RHIC DOUBLE-SPIN ASYMMETRIES.
abstract: The longitudinally polarized gluon density is probed sensitively in hard collisions of polarized protons under the condition that the dominant dynamics are perturbative and of leading twist origin. First data have recently been presented by PHENIX on the double-spin asymmetry A{sub LL}{sup {pi}} for {pi}{sup 0} production at moderate transverse momentum p {perpendicular} {approx_equal} 1 {divided_by} 4 GeV and central rapidity. By means of a systematic investigation of the relevant degrees of freedom we show that the perturbative QCD framework at leading power in p{perpendicular} produces an asymmetry that is basically positive definite in this kinematic range, i.e. A{sub LL}{sup {pi}} {approx}> {Omicron}(-10{sup -3}).

title: Suppression of excited-state effects in lattice determination of nucleon electromagnetic form factors
abstract: We study the ability of a variety of fitting techniques to extract the ground state matrix elements of the vector current from ratios of nucleon three- and two-point functions that contain contaminations from excited states. Extending our high-statistics study of nucleon form factors, we are able to demonstrate that the treatment of excited-state contributions in conjunction with approaching the physical pion mass has a significant impact on the $Q^2$-dependence of the form factors.

title: Computing the Adler function from the vacuum polarization function
abstract: We use a lattice determination of the hadronic vacuum polarization tensor to study the associated Ward identities and compute the Adler function. The vacuum polarization tensor is computed from a combination of point-split and local vector currents, using two flavours of O($a$)-improved Wilson fermions. Partially twisted boundary conditions are employed to obtain a fine momentum resolution. The modifications of the Ward identities by lattice artifacts and by the use of twisted boundary conditions are monitored. We determine the Adler function from the derivative of the vacuum polarization function over a large region of momentum transfer $q^2$. As a first account of systematic effects, a continuum limit scaling analysis is performed in the large $q^2$ regime.

title: Lattice QCD Studies of the Leading Order Hadronic Contribution to the Muon g 2
abstract: The anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, g 2, is one of the most promising observables to identify hints for physics beyond the Standard Model. QCD contributions are currently responsible for the largest fraction of the overall theoretical uncertainty in g 2. The possibility to determine these hadronic contributions from first principles through lattice QCD calculations has triggered a number of recent studies. Recent proposals to improve the accuracy of lattice determinations are reported. We present an update of our studies of the leading-order hadronic contribution to g 2 with improved Wilson fermions.

title: Improved interpolating fields for hadrons at non-vanishing momentum
abstract: We demonstrate that a reduction in the noise-to-signal ratio may be obtained for hadrons at non-zero momenta whilst maintaining a good overlap with the ground state through a generalisation of Gaussian/Wuppertal smearing. The use of an anisotropic smearing wavefunction is motivated by the physical picture of a boosted hadron.

title: Excited state systematics in extracting nucleon electromagnetic form factors
abstract: We present updated preliminary results for the nucleon electromagnetic form factors for nonperturbatively O(a) improved Wilson fermions in N f = 2 QCD measured on the CLS ensembles. The use of the summed operator insertion method allows us to suppress the influence of excited states in our measurements. A study of the effect that excited state contaminations have on the Q2 dependence of the extracted nucleon form factors may then be made through comparisons of the summation method to standard plateau fits, as well as to excited state fits.