# Standard Model Large-𝐸_𝑇 Processes and Searches for New Physics at HERA

## 1 Introduction

The two experiments H1 and ZEUS at HERA have accumulated over the last six years almost 100 pb<sup>-1</sup> of luminosity, providing the first glimpse at the short distance frontier of lepton-nucleon interactions. A substantial effort in analyzing the data has been focused on extending the rejection limits for parameters of various known extensions of the standard model (SM) . In the corresponding dedicated searches both the data selection and the analysis method were optimized to detect the anticipated experimental signatures of these extensions.

Another approach, which we would like to call generic searches, consists of analyzing a broad class of events characterized by the presence of a large transverse energy particle or a system of particles used as tags for short distance and/or large mass processes . The event selection criteria for such searches are optimized to cover those phase space regions where the standard model predictions are sufficiently precise to detect anomalies rather than to cover the phase space region where anomalies are expected. They allow one to detect anomalies in the relative abundance of several processes. In general, generic searches minimize the chances that unexpected novel phenomena are overlooked if their manifestations in the data do not follow one of the predefined scenarios and enlarge the discovery potential if signatures of new phenomena are weak but present in more than one final state topology.

Both dedicated and generic searches rely on the knowledge of standard model predictions for the distributions of events over the available phase space. This requires dedicated SM calculations and their implementations in Monte Carlo event generators. In our view, these indispensable theoretical tools for searches of novel phenomena at HERA need upgrading. The lack of tools which are applicable over the full phase space leaves an important fraction of registered data un-analyzed. The high-energy, i.e. high-$`y`$, frontier of $`\gamma p`$ scattering is an example of a phase space region unique to HERA which was largely untouched by dedicated searches. In this region both deep inelastic and photoproduction processes contribute and a tedious procedure of matching the respective calculations and their Monte Carlo implementations is required . In dedicated searches, leaving out a fraction of the phase space has only weak impact on the derived exclusion limits. For generic searches, the development of appropriate theoretical tools covering the full phase space, in particular close to its boundaries, is mandatory if one wants to maximize the efficiency for detecting unexpected novel phenomena rather than to establish the rejection limits for the expected ones.

Standard model predictions for many important processes and corresponding Monte Carlo event generators to simulate the bulk of events in $`ep`$ scattering are available. These programs may, however, suffer from approximations which could turn out to be severe in corners of the phase space or for specific final states. As an example we mention the fact that the DJANGO branch of the Monte Carlo program DJANGOH  is well-suited for the simulation of the inclusive DIS cross section, but does not take into account effects due to the emission of photons from quarks. For the total cross section this is a reasonable approximation, but is not acceptable when searching for final states containing photons in the vicinity of jets. An example where this is relevant is the search for excited quarks.

The precision of tools for searches is of a different quality compared to that for a precision measurement of structure functions or parameters of the standard model. In general the statistical significance of novel phenomena is weak and a precision of the order of 20 % matches already the statistical and systematic errors of the measurement. Therefore, electroweak radiative corrections are not crucial and pure QED corrections are sufficiently accurate when calculated in the leading logarithmic approximation. QCD corrections, however, need to be controlled.

In some cases significant contributions may arise from processes which are not accessible to perturbative methods, or which are sensitive to soft-gluon resummation. An example for the first case is $`ep\gamma X`$ which receives contributions from $`epep\gamma `$ in the absence of cuts on the hadronic final state , an example for the latter case is the production of two jets with equal $`p_T`$ . Therefore, the scope of the calculations needed for generic searches makes them much more ambitious than in cases where cuts are applied to remove the “difficult” phase space regions.

The main requirement for the theoretical tools used in searches is their completeness: all standard model processes contributing to a particular final state have to be controlled. In determining a complete list of all relevant processes, a close collaboration between theorists and experimentalists is needed because measurement effects significantly enlarge the number of processes which could potentially contribute to a particular final state topology. For example, the production of jets, which could occasionally mimic electrons, muons, taus, photons and, if undetected, neutrinos may contribute to the majority of the final states considered below. The theoretical tools in this case should not only provide the means to control the jet production rate and their spectra but, in addition, to control the probabilities for a jet to fragment into rare particle topologies, like single tracks, jets with only neutral particles, etc. The discussion of these latter aspects is beyond the scope of this paper.

In this note we provide a short review of the standard model calculations and their Monte Carlo implementations which can be used in searches for new physics and point out areas where progress is needed. The discussion is organized according to a possible classification of generic searches: inclusive single-particle spectra for electrons, neutrinos, jets, photons and so on, and spectra for various combinations of these particles are considered in turn.

## 2 Inclusive single-particle spectra

### 2.1 Electrons and Neutrinos

Measurements that only look for electrons or neutrinos (i.e., missing transverse momentum) in the final state correspond to the classical inclusive deep inelastic scattering. The precision of standard model predictions is determined by that of the structure functions input. These are obtained from global fits to a wide variety of data taking into account $`Q^2`$ evolution according to perturbative QCD in next-to-leading order. Theoretically, the predictions are on a sound basis since the operator product expansion approach for the inclusive measurement is well-founded. Therefore the precision is limited by the experimental accuracy of the data that are used in the fits. Recent estimates suggest precisions well below 10 per cent  including uncertainties from scale variation and $`\alpha _s`$. For the longitudinal structure function $`F_L`$, where presently available measurements are not very precise, QCD predictions can be used. The inclusive measurement is sensitive to the simulation of hadronic final states only to the extent that the latter modify the reconstructed kinematical variables and enter the determination of experimental corrections.

Electroweak radiative corrections are known to order $`\alpha `$ and can be taken into account in the Monte Carlo program HERACLES . Only small residual uncertainties are expected at large $`Q^2`$. One should, however, keep in mind that taking into account radiative corrections requires the knowledge of structure functions down to $`Q^2=0`$. Therefore, additional uncertainties from low-$`Q^2`$ structure functions are present, although only at the level of a few per cent.

### 2.2 Jets

Jets in high-energy scattering are a genuine QCD testing ground and have therefore received much attention in theoretical calculations: NLO calculations were completed for both $`(1+1)`$\- and $`(2+1)`$-jet production in deep inelastic scattering  and their implementations in Monte Carlo programs  have been available already for some time. Jet cross sections need the definition of a jet finding algorithm and the older calculations were restricted to the modified JADE scheme. More recent progress in Refs.  allows jet cross sections to be calculated with more general jet definitions<sup>1</sup><sup>1</sup>1A comparison of the programs MEPJET , DISENT  and DISASTER++  revealed discrepancies, see  for details.. As shown in  the choice of the jet algorithm has considerable influence on the size of scale uncertainties. $`(3+1)`$-jet cross sections are known to leading order only and implemented in the available programs , the LO $`(4+1)`$-jet cross section also in .

Jets arising from photoproduction have also been investigated and NLO calculations have been available for many years . Recent work  has improved the understanding of various aspects like scale uncertainties and the matching of theoretical and experimental jet definitions. The efforts of Klasen, Kramer and Pötter  have lead to NLO predictions for $`(2+1)`$-jet production also in the transition region from photoproduction to deep inelastic scattering. The results were implemented recently in the Monte Carlo generator JETVIP by Pötter .

The theoretical tools for generic searches in jet production need further improvements. The most important restriction of presently available programs is related to very large $`Q^2`$ where $`Z`$ exchange contributions (and $`W`$ exchange in charged current scattering) are important: these contributions are available only at leading order in the general-purpose programs like LEPTO  or DJANGOH . Other possible improvements are related to the treatment of heavy quarks, resolved contributions and, for future experiments, polarized beams. We refer to the accompanying reports  of these proceedings for more details.

### 2.3 Photons

Searching for a photon in the final state without requiring additionally a large $`p_T`$ electron or neutrino, one has to cope with contributions from photoproduction (or more generally very low $`Q^2`$), deep inelastic scattering (i.e., large $`Q^2`$) and the transition region connecting these two cases. For the two extreme situations, NLO calculations are available, for photoproduction in Ref.  and for DIS in Ref. <sup>2</sup><sup>2</sup>2However, not including $`Z`$ exchange.. The transition region, however, has not yet been investigated.

With the present situation, the calculations for DIS and photoproduction have to be combined by hand with all the difficulties arising when approaches of different authors using different conventions are to be matched. In principle, a cut on $`Q^2`$ should allow one to separate the two cases: the calculation in the DIS region is used for $`Q^2`$ above a lower limit $`Q_{\mathrm{min}}^2`$ of the order of a few GeV<sup>2</sup> and the results for photoproduction can be folded with the Weizsäcker-Williams spectrum of photons originating from the incoming lepton. $`Q_{\mathrm{min}}^2`$ enters the normalization of the Weizsäcker-Williams spectrum. In practice this matching was never done and progress similar to that which resulted in the Monte Carlo program JETVIP would be very useful to avoid this difficulty.

Similarly to the case of radiative corrections to inclusive DIS, there is a contribution from virtual $`e\gamma ^{}`$ Compton scattering producing a photon with large transverse momentum (balanced by the electron $`p_T`$) but no large momentum scale in the hadronic subprocess $`\gamma ^{}pX`$ . Substantial contributions both from quasi-elastic scattering, i.e. with $`epep\gamma `$, as well as inelastic scattering with low-mass hadronic final states (deep-inelastic Compton process) $`epe\gamma X`$ are expected. The first case can be described with the help of the well-known formfactors for elastic $`ep`$ scattering and corresponding predictions can be obtained with the help of the programs HERACLES or COMPTON ; the latter case is less well understood and needs further improvements.

### 2.4 $`W`$ and $`Z`$

The Monte Carlo generator EPVEC based on the calculations by Baur, Vermaseren and Zeppenfeld <sup>3</sup><sup>3</sup>3For previous calculations see the references in . has been used in searches for anomalous $`W`$ couplings  and as a tool to control the $`W`$ and $`Z`$ contribution to isolated lepton production . EPVEC is presently being checked against an independent calculation of Dubinin and Song . As in the case of inclusive photon and inclusive jet production the main difficulty in the calculation of NLO corrections boils down to matching the DIS and the photoproduction contributions. In Ref.  this matching is defined in terms of the virtuality of a quark exchanged in the $`u`$-channel which introduces a cutoff $`u_{\mathrm{min}}`$ and uncertainties related to variations of this unphysical parameter. A better matching scheme would separate the deep inelastic regime from photoproduction in terms of the virtuality of the exchanged photon. Remaining $`u`$-pole singularities can be absorbed into the parton distribution functions in the photon, giving rise to large QCD corrections for the resolved contribution. First numerical results of a corresponding calculation by Nason, Rückl and Spira were reported on this workshop . When finalized, a Monte Carlo implementation of this calculation will allow to obtain the $`W`$ total cross sections, as well as the spectra at high transverse momentum, with sufficient precision to be useful in searches for anomalies. The spectrum at low $`p_T`$ of the $`W`$ might require resummation of soft gluon contributions.

### 2.5 Muons and taus

Large transverse momentum muons and taus are produced at HERA predominantly as decay products of $`W`$ and $`Z`$ bosons. Their production has been discussed in the previous subsection. A comparably large contribution is due to non-resonant dimuon (ditau) production. Leading-order diagrams in photon-photon interactions constituting a subset of these processes have been calculated in Ref.  and subsequently implemented in the Monte Carlo program LPAIR . LPAIR is restricted to the case of large invariant masses of the lepton pair. It is not complete for searches based on a single lepton tag because processes of internal conversion of virtual photons emitted by the quark or by the electron are not included. These processes are dominant for dimuons (ditaus) produced with low invariant mass, and comparable in size to photon-photon interactions at high transverse momentum. The missing contributions have been calculated in Ref.  and implemented subsequently in the Monte Carlo program TRIDENT . This program was, however, not used so far in experimental analyses and additional testing seems to be required. A new Monte Carlo program, called GRAPE-Dilepton, is presently being developed on the basis of the GRACE system . It will take into account elastic and quasi-elastic contributions and the complete matrix elements needed in the deep inelastic regime as well as simulation of the hadronic final state. No NLO calculations are available at present to control theoretically the inclusive spectra of muons and taus at HERA at the level of precision required for searches. Progress in this domain has to include a Monte Carlo program implementing all dilepton production processes, including diagrams with on- and off-shell $`Z^0`$’s.

## 3 Multi-body final states

Multi-body final states, especially those involving an unconventional particle composition, are of particular interest for HERA generic searches. When trying to reveal novel phenomena in multi-body final states, the advantage due to higher energies at the Tevatron is balanced by significantly smaller QCD backgrounds at HERA.

NLO calculations are much more involved for multi-body final states and available only for a few cases. Even LO calculations are not worked out for all interesting processes. In such cases the general-purpose program packages CompHEP  or GRACE  may be helpful to obtain good estimates. It has to be stressed however that additional work will be needed, for example to take into account the effects due to the hadronization of final states.

Searches for anomalies in the production of electron pairs and triplets or photon pairs, as well as those looking for $`e\mu `$, $`e\tau `$, $`\mu \mu `$, $`\tau \tau `$ $`e\mu \mu `$ and $`e\tau \tau `$ cannot rely at present on complete standard model predictions. We refer here to the discussion in section 2.5.

Searches for the anomalous production of an $`e\gamma `$ system made so far were limited to that fraction of the available phase space which can be controlled by the Monte Carlo programs DJANGOH<sup>4</sup><sup>4</sup>4DJANGOH provides an option which allows simulation of the hadronic final state but does not include quarkonic radiation (DJANGO branch) or an option including quarkonic radiation but without hadronization (HERACLES branch). and COMPTON. More recent calculations  include QCD corrections to order $`O(\alpha _s)`$. Although these calculations can not easily be combined with more complete Monte Carlo generators, they are useful for comparisons with data corrected for detector effects and give a theoretical handle for studies of the $`e\gamma `$ and $`e\gamma +`$jet systems. Similar calculations for the production of $`\nu \gamma `$ and $`\nu \gamma +`$jet final states exist in LO but remain to be done in NLO.

Significant progress has been made recently in the precision of the standard model calculations for $`e+`$jet and $`e+2`$jets final states. We refer here to the discussion presented in section 2.2. and to the contribution of Pötter and Seymour in these proceedings. As already mentioned, the corresponding calculations for final states with $`\nu +`$jet and $`\nu +2`$ jets remain to be done.

The searches for anomalies in the production of final states containing $`e\nu `$, $`\mu \nu `$, $`\tau \nu `$ as well as $`e\nu +`$jet, $`\mu \nu +`$jet, $`\tau \nu +`$jet, rely on calculations for $`W`$ production which was discussed in section 2.4. A particular need for calculations of QCD corrections for three body final states involving large $`E_T`$ jets has to be underlined in the context of the reported observation of anomalous events of this type in the H1 data . Other multi-body final states where QCD corrections have not yet been calculated are $`\mu +`$jet, $`\tau +`$jet, 3jets, and many more rare final states.

In several multi-particle final states where theoretical control is poor, generic searches can, at present, only be based on the relative abundance of various processes. Simple approximate formulas which, for example, relate the cross section for lepton pair or jet pair production to those for large-$`E_T`$ photon production are known (see for example ) and expected to be precise enough for the present requirements.

## 4 Conclusions

The forseen upgrade of the HERA machine is expected to lead to an increase of the collected luminosity by at least a factor of ten by the year 2005. This improvement deserves being matched by corresponding upgrades of theoretical tools for generic searches in order to fully exploit the search potential at HERA. If deviations from the standard model predictions are observed, a combined treatment of different multi-particle final states is expected to help in understanding the anomalies. For example anomalies in the internal structure of the proton at short distances may reveal themselves by looking at the spectra of jets associated with various multi-body final states . Generic searches are helpful in interlinking the experimental aspects of physically different processes. This facilitates the assessment of the size of systematic measurement errors.

We acknowledge discussions on various aspects of standard model calculations with T. Abe, R. Devenish, D. Graudenz and B. Pötter.    

## 5 References