Next-to-leading order QCD predictions for Z,gamma^*+3-Jet distributions at the tevatron.

Abstract

Using BlackHat in conjunction with SHERPA, we have computed next-to-leading order QCD predictions for a variety of distributions in Z,γ*+1, 2, 3-jet production at the Tevatron, where the Z boson or off-shell photon decays into an electron-positron pair. We find good agreement between the next-to-leading order results for jet pT distributions and measurements by CDF and D0. We also present jet-production ratios, or probabilities of finding one additional jet. As a function of vector-boson pT, the ratios have distinctive features which we describe in terms of a simple model capturing leading logarithms and phase-space and parton-distribution-function suppression.