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Designing observables for quantum interference in jets at subleading color

Andrew J. Larkoski

SciPost Phys. 14, 041 (2023) · published 20 March 2023

Abstract

The large-$N_c$ or topologically planar limit of gauge theories can be considered as a classical limit because all gauge bosons are distinguishable particles and therefore cannot exhibit interference. Quantum effects due to the flow of color therefore arise starting at subleading in $1/N_c$. We introduce kinematic observables explicitly sensitive to effects at subleading color formed from the ratio of interfering to squared color-ordered amplitudes. Such observables are in general not infrared and collinear safe, so we introduce angular observables defined from appropriate multi-point energy correlators motivated by the form of color-ordered amplitudes. We demonstrate that color interference effects are manifest as sinusoidal oscillation in the simplest system, a collinear jet with three particles, and show the limitations of predicting this observable in all-purpose, leading-color parton shower Monte Carlos.

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