NNLO interpolation grids for jet production at the LHC

Abstract

Fast interpolation-grid frameworks facilitate an efficient and flexible evaluation of higher-order predictions for any choice of parton distribution functions or value of the strong coupling $$\alpha _{\mathrm {s}}$$. They constitute an essential tool for the extraction of parton distribution functions and Standard Model parameters, as well as studies of the dependence of cross sections on the renormalisation and factorisation scales. The APPLfast project provides a generic interface between the parton-level Monte Carlo generator "Image missing" and both the APPLgrid and the fastNLO libraries for the grid interpolation. The extension of the project to include hadron–hadron collider processes at next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative QCD is presented, together with an application for jet production at the LHC.