Infrared structure of SU(N) × U(1) gauge theory to three loops

A bstract We study the infrared (IR) structure of SU( N ) × U(1) (QCD × QED) gauge theory with n f quarks and n l leptons within the framework of perturbation theory. In particular, we unravel the IR structure of the form factors and inclusive real emission cross sections that contribute to inclusive production of color neutral states, such as a pair of leptons or single W/Z in Drell-Yan processes and a Higgs boson in bottom quark annihilation, in Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in the threshold limit. Explicit computation of the relevant form factors to third order and the use of Sudakov’s K + G equation in SU( N ) × U(1) gauge theory demonstrate the universality of the cusp anomalous dimensions ( A I , I = q, b ). The abelianization rules that relate A I of SU( N ) with those from U(1) and SU( N ) × U(1) can be used to predict the soft distribution that results from the soft gluon emission subprocesses in the threshold limit. Using the latter and the third order form factors, we can obtain the collinear anomalous dimensions ( B I ) and the renormalisation constant Z b to third order in perturbation theory. The form factors, the process independent soft distribution functions can be used to predict fixed and resummed inclusive cross sections to third order in couplings and in leading logarithmic approximation respectively.