NLO+NLL limits on $W'$ and $Z'$ gauge boson masses

Abstract

QCD resummation predictions for the production of new charged ($W'$) and neutral ($Z'$) heavy gauge bosons decaying leptonically are presented. These results are obtained with our resummation code at next-to-leading order and next-to-leading logarithmic (NLO+NLL) accuracy. Our predictions are compared to PYTHIA at leading order (LO) supplemented with parton showers (PS) and FEWZ at NLO and next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) for the $p_T$-differential and total cross sections in the Sequential Standard Model (SSM) and general SU(2)$\times$SU(2)$\times$U(1) models. We show that the importance of resummation for total cross sections increases with the gauge boson mass. Finally, the latest ATLAS and CMS results are reinterpreted to derive new limits at NLO+NLL on $W'$ and $Z'$ boson masses in general extensions of the Standard Model.