Abstract: In this paper we study the nonperturbative structure of the SU(3) four-gluon vertex in the Landau gauge, concentrating on contributions quadratic in the metric. We employ an approximation scheme where “one-loop” diagrams are computed using fully dressed gluon and ghost propagators, and tree-level vertices. When a suitable kinematical configuration depending on a single momentum scale p is chosen, only two structures emerge: the tree-level four-gluon vertex, and a tensor orthogonal to it. A detailed numerical analysis reveals that the form factor associated with this latter tensor displays a change of sign (zero-crossing) in the deep infrared, and finally diverges logarithmically. The origin of this characteristic behavior is proven to be entirely due to the masslessness of the ghost propagators forming the corresponding ghost-loop diagram, in close analogy to a similar effect established for the three-gluon vertex. However, in the case at hand, and under the approximations employed, this particular divergence does not affect the form factor proportional to the tree-level tensor, which remains finite in the entire range of momenta, and deviates moderately from its naive tree-level value. It turns out that the kinematic configuration chosen is ideal for carrying out lattice simulations, because it eliminates from the connected Green's function all one-particle reducible contributions, projecting out the genuine one-particle irreducible vertex. Motivated by this possibility, we discuss in detail how a hypothetical lattice measurement of this quantity would compare to the results presented here, and the potential interference from an additional tensorial structure, allowed by Bose symmetry, but not encountered within our scheme.

Abstract: Measurements of differential production cross-sections of a Z boson in association with b-jets in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV are reported. The data analysed correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb(-1) recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Particle-level cross-sections are determined for events with a Z boson decaying into an electron or muon pair, and containing b-jets. For events with at least one b-jet, the cross-section is presented as a function of the Z boson transverse momentum and rapidity, together with the inclusive b-jet cross-section as a function of b-jet transverse momentum, rapidity and angular separations between the b-jet and the Z boson. For events with at least two b-jets, the cross-section is determined as a function of the invariant mass and angular separation of the two highest transverse momentum b-jets, and as a function of the Z boson transverse momentum and rapidity. Results are compared to leading-order and next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations.

Abstract: A study of B and B-s(0) meson decays into J/psi eta and J/psi eta' final states is performed using a data set of proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, collected by the LCHb experiment and corresponding to 3.0 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The decay B-0 -> J/psi eta' is observed for the first time. The following ratios of branching fractions are measured: B(B-0 -> J psi eta')/B(B-s(0) -> J psi eta') = (2.28 +/- 0.65 (stat) +/- 0.010 (syst) +/- 0.13 (f(s)/f(d)) x 10(-2) , B(B-0 -> J psi eta')/B(B-s(0) -> J psi eta') = (1.85 +/- 0.65 (stat) +/- 0.09 (syst) +/- 0.11 (f(s)/f(d)) x 10(-2) where the third uncertainty is related to the present knowledge of f(s)/f(d), the ratio between the probabilities for a b quark to form a B-s(0) or a B-0 meson. The branching fraction ratios are used to determine the parameters of eta-eta' meson mixing. In addition, the first evidence for the decay B-s(0) -> psi(2S)' is reported, and the relative branching fraction is measured, B(B-s(0) -> psi(2S)eta')/B(B-s(0) -> J psi eta') = (38.7 +/- 9.0 (stat) +/- 1.3 (syst) +/- 0.9(B)) x 10(-2), where the third uncertainty is due to the limited knowledge of the branching fractions of J/psi and psi(2S) mesons.