Abstract
The forward LHCb acceptance opens interesting possibilities of studying precision Standard Model hard processes in a kinematical region beyond the reach of ATLAS and CMS. In this paper we perform a feasibility study for cross-section measurements of top quark pairs with the LHCb detector, with an analysis of signal and background rates for selected final states, and determine the potential precision achievable at \( \sqrt{s} \) = 7 and 14 TeV. We then study the dependence of theoretical uncertainties on the pseudorapidity distribution of top quarks produced in pair production at NLO, and observe that a cross-section measurement at high pseudorapidity has enhanced sensitivity to probe the high-x gluon PDF as compared to measurements in the central-region. Based on simulated pseudodata, the impact of a 14 TeV cross-section measurement on the gluon PDF and charge asymmetry is quantified.
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Gauld, R. Feasibility of top quark measurements at LHCb and constraints on the large-x gluon PDF. J. High Energ. Phys. 2014, 126 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP02(2014)126
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP02(2014)126