Abstract: The production cross-section of J/psi pairs in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13TeV is measured using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.2 fb(-1) collected by the LHCb experiment. The measurement is performed with both J/psi mesons in the transverse momentum range 0 < p(T) < 14 GeV/c and rapidity range 2.0 < y < 4.5. The cross-section of this process is measured to be 16.36 +/- 0.28 (stat) +/- 0.88 (syst) nb. The contributions from single-parton scattering and double-parton scattering are separated based on the dependence of the cross-section on the absolute rapidity difference Delta y between the two J/psi mesons. The effective cross-section of double-parton scattering is measured to be sigma(eff) = 13.1 +/- 1.8 (stat) +/- 2.3 (syst) mb. The distribution of the azimuthal angle phi(CS) of one of the J/psi mesons in the Collins-Soper frame and the p(T)-spectrum of the J/psi pairs are also measured for the study of the gluon transverse-momentum dependent distributions inside protons. The extracted values of < cos4 phi(CS)> and < cos2 phi(CS)> are consistent with zero, but the presence of azimuthal asymmetry at a few percent level is allowed.

Abstract: A search is performed for the central exclusive production of pairs of charmonia produced in proton-proton collisions. Using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1) collected at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, J/psi J/psi and J/psi psi (2S) pairs are observed, which have been produced in the absence of any other activity inside the LHCb acceptance that is sensitive to charged particles in the pseudorapidity ranges (-3.5,-1.5) and (1.5, 5.0). Searches are also performed for pairs of P-wave charmonia and limits are set on their production. The cross-sections for these processes, where the dimeson system has a rapidity between 2.0 and 4.5, are measured to be sigma (J/psi J/psi) = 58 +/- 10(stat) +/- 6(syst) pb, sigma(J/psi psi(2S)) = 63(-18)(+27)(stat) +/- 10(syst) pb, sigma(psi(2S)psi(2S)) < 237 pb, sigma(chi)(chi)(C0)(C0) < 69 nb, sigma(chi)(chi)(C1)(C1) < 45 pb, sigma(chi)(chi)(C2)(C2) < 141 pb, where the upper limits are set at the 90% confidence level. The measured J/psi J/psi and J/psi psi (2S) cross-sections are consistent with theoretical expectations.

Abstract: Newer lattice results indicate that, in the Landau gauge at low spacelike momenta, the gluon propagator and the ghost dressing function are finite non-zero. This leads to a definition of the QCD running coupling, in a specific scheme, that goes to zero at low spacelike momenta. We construct a running coupling which fulfills these conditions, and at the same time reproduces to a high precision the perturbative behavior at high momenta. The coupling is constructed in such a way that it reflects qualitatively correctly the holomorphic (analytic) behavior of spacelike observables in the complex plane of the squared momenta, as dictated by the general principles of quantum field theories. Further, we require the coupling to reproduce correctly the nonstrange semihadronic decay rate of tau lepton which is the best measured low-momentum QCD observable with small higher-twist effects. Subsequent application of the Borel sum rules to the V + A spectral functions of tau lepton decays, as measured by OPAL Collaboration, determines the values of the gluon condensate and of the V + A six-dimensional condensate, and reproduces the data to a significantly higher precision than the usual (MS) over bar running coupling.