Threshold Logarithms Beyond Leading Power

The quest for new physics requires predicting scattering processes at the Large Hadron Collider with the highest achievable precision. This in turn means describing ubiquitous QCD radiation. Scattering cross sections are calculated as an expansion in the strong coupling constant. In the limit in which the energy of the QCD radiation becomes small compared to the centre of mass energy of the scattering process, the perturbative cross section develops large threshold logarithms, spoiling its reliability, and such that one must resum the logarithms to all orders in perturbation theory. Various summation methods have been known for many years for leading-power threshold logarithms only. Higher order threshold logs can still be numerically relevant, motivating the need to develop resummation techniques for them, a fascinating quantum field theory problem by itself. In the past few years different groups have been starting to tackle the problem from different points of view: threshold expansion of the cross section by use of the method of regions; analysis of the factorisation properties of the next-to-leading power threshold logs (the so called Low-Burnett-Kroll-Del Duca factorisation theorem); and by means of soft-collinear effective field theory.

The goal of the workshop is to bring these groups together, and create an environment to facilitate discussions, exchange of ideas, and comparison between different methods. We expect the workshop will be very useful for triggering new ideas toward the development of resummation techniques for higher power threshold logarithms.

The topics to be discussed include, but are not limited to:

- The method of regions applied to the threshold expansion.

- The LBKD factorization theorem and its extensions.

- Factorisation theorems beyond leading power in SCET.

The workshop schedule is available at https://indico.ph.ed.ac.uk/indico/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=15

The registration deadline is the 30.11.2015, there is no registration fee. The workshop is limited to 30 participants. Please register as early as you can by using the “Register” button at the bottom of the webpage. We expect to have limited funding available to cover lodging expenses; priority will be given to early registrations. If you are interested in giving a talk, please submit an abstract for consideration on the registration form. Talk selection and scheduling will be announced after that time.

The workshop venue is at the Higgs Centre for theoretical physics, located in the James Clerk Maxwell Building (JCMB) of the Kings Buildings Campus (direction information below). Accommodation will be in guesthouses near the Campus - please provide arrival and departure dates in the registration form. If you instead prefer to organise your own accommodation, please tick the related box. You can email l.ballantyne [at] ed.ac.uk in case you need further information concerning lodging. There will be a conference dinner on Wednesday evening, 27.01.2016, at the Amber restaurant, paid for by the Higgs centre. Please tick the box on the registration form if you plan to attend.

Click here for directions to JCMB by various modes of transport;

click here for a map pin to the entrance of JCMB. Please ensure you enter via the main entrance and the workshop will be signposted from there.

We are looking forward to welcome you in Edinburgh. Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at lvernazz [at] staffmail.ed.ac.uk.