The large number of scalar meson states below 2 GeV contradicts the expected number derived from a quark-antiquark description. One possibility is that one or more of the light scalar mesons can be described as four quark states composed of quark-antiquark pairs. This scenario has been explored with sum-rule methods in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) to leading-order in the strong coupling constant. Higher loop contributions are significant in the QCD sum-rule analysis of quark-antiquark scalar states and a similar situation could occur in the four-quark case. In this thesis the leading order and pieces of the second order terms of the correlation function, as needed to study properties of a four-quark state via a QCD sum-rule, is calculated in the chiral limit (i.e. massless quarks) in QCD. Operator mixing related to renormalization of the composite operators appearing in the correlation function first contributes at second order. The result for the second order contributions to the correlation function indicate that operator mixing must be addressed before using proper dispersion relations to link this calculation with the mass of an existing state.

The large number of scalar meson states below 2 GeV contradicts the expected number derived from a quark-antiquark description. One possibility is that one or more of the light scalar mesons can be described as four quark states composed of quark-antiquark pairs. This scenario has been explored with sum-rule methods in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) to leading-order in the strong coupling constant. Higher loop contributions are significant in the QCD sum-rule analysis of quark-antiquark scalar states and a similar situation could occur in the four-quark case. In this thesis the leading order and pieces of the second order terms of the correlation function, as needed to study properties of a four-quark state via a QCD sum-rule, is calculated in the chiral limit (i.e. massless quarks) in QCD. Operator mixing related to renormalization of the composite operators appearing in the correlation function first contributes at second order. The result for the second order contributions to the correlation function indicate that operator mixing must be addressed before using proper dispersion relations to link this calculation with the mass of an existing state.

In this thesis we use effective field theories of the strong interactions to improve our understanding of several quantities in the Standard Model of particle physics (SM). We also examine constraints on an extension of the SM scalar sector and study the implications for the Higgs mass. We first examine an approach to extracting the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |Vub| via the relationship between the B meson decays B -> Xu l nu and B -> Xs gamma, where Xi is any final state hadron containing a quark of flavour i. Model dependence is reduced in this approach since the non-perturbative shape function at leading order is universal and drops out; however the perturbative expansion at next-to-leading order is found to be poorly behaved. We carry out a renormalon analysis of the relationship between these spectra to examine higher order perturbative corrections and compare the fixed-order and log expansions. Our analysis can be used to estimate the perturbative uncertainty in the extraction of |Vub|, which we show to be relatively small. Next we take a step towards the broader goal of summing large phase space logarithms from a variety of jet algorithms using Soft Collinear Effective Theory (SCET). We develop a consistent approach to implementing arbitrary phase space constraints in SCET and demonstrate the connection between cutoffs in SCET and phase space limits. By considering several jet algorithms at next-to-leading order, we gain some insight into factorization of final state jets. In particular, we point out the connection between the ultraviolet regulator and factorization. Finally we consider a scalar sector that contains a colour-octet electroweak-doublet scalar, in addition to the SM Higgs. This extension contains the only scalar representations that Yukawa-couple to quarks and are consistent with minimal flavour violation. We examine constraints from electroweak precision data, direct production from LEPII and the Tevatron, and from flavour physics. We find both the Higgs and new scalars can be simultaneously light, with masses of O(100 GeV). The data also allows all the scalars to be heavy, with masses of O(1 TeV). The presence of the additional scalars removes the preference for a light Higgs, which normally emerges from fits to electroweak precision data.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

L'objet de cette thèse est l'étude de certaines propriétés de théories des champs à fort couplage via la dualité avec la théorie des cordes, dans la limite de supergravité. L'analyse expérimentale du plasma de quarks et de gluons produit au RHIC et au LHC tend en effet à indiquer que cet état de la matière se comporte comme un fluide quasiment parfait. Les méthodes perturbatives de la QCD sont impuissantes à décrire ses propriétés et la chromodynamique quantique sur réseau fait face à des problèmes tant techniques que conceptuels pour calculer les observables dynamiques d'un tel système. La correspondance AdS/CFT offre par conséquent un outil unique permettant d'étudier en première approximation cette phase de la QCD. L'un des aspects de cette thèse consiste en la description par une équation stochastique de Langevin d'un parton massif se propageant dans un plasma de Yang--Mills maximalement supersymétrique. Bien que cette théorie semble décrire de manière satisfaisante la phase déconfinée de la QCD, il est toutefois désirable de chercher un dual en théorie des cordes rendant compte des aspects de la QCD à basse énergie. L'autre axe directeur de cette thèse propose ainsi de rendre compte de solutions de moindre supersymétrie, sans invariance conforme, et avec confinement. On obtient le dual gravitationnel d'états metastables de telles théories. En particulier, on dérive une contribution au potentiel inflationnaire dans le cadre d'un modèle cosmologique générique de la théorie des cordes. / In this thesis, we apply the gauge/string duality in its supergravity limit to infer some properties of field theories at strong coupling. Experiments at RHIC and at the LHC indeed suggest that the quark--gluon plasma behaves as one of the most perfect fluid ever achieved in any controlled experimental setup. Perturbative approaches fail at accounting for its properties, whereas lattice QCD methods face technical as well as conceptual difficulties in computing dynamical aspects of this new state of matter. As a result, the AdS/CFT correspondence currently is the best tool at our disposal for analytically modelling this phase of QCD. One of the contributions of this thesis amounts to deriving a stochastic Langevin equation for a heavy quark moving across a maximally supersymmetric Yang--Mills plasma at strong coupling. Even though this theory seems to describe in a surprisingly satisfactory way the high--energy, deconfined phase of QCD, it is also of much interest to try and search for a string theory dual making closer contact with QCD at lower energies. As such, the other main focus of this thesis deals with supergravity solutions of lesser supersymmetry, without conformal invariance and exhibiting confinement. We build for the first time the gravity dual to metastable states of such theories. In particular, we find the contribution from anti--branes to the inflation potential in some general scenario of string cosmology.

Neste trabalho usamos as regras de soma da QCD para calcular as massas e constantes de acoplamento ou decaimento dos estados exóticos theta+(1540) e cascata--(1862) (pentaquarks), dos mesons escalares charmosos DsJ+(2317), D0(2308) e D0(2405) e do meson axial X(3872). Os mesons foram também tratados como estados exóticos de quatro quarks (tetraquarks). Dois métodos de regra de soma foram aplicados e uma atenção especial foi dada aos limites de validade e incertezas da regra de soma. Em todos os casos encontramos resultados compatíveis com os dados experimentais existentes, mas no caso dos pentaquarks e dos mesons escalares as regras de soma têm algumas de suas condições violadas, levantando a questão sobre a existência das ressonâncias na forma em que foram propostas. Fizemos também uma previsão para um méson axial Xb, que é uma expansão para o setor botônico do modelo assumido para o X(3872). / In this work the QCD Sum Rules have been used to obtain masses and coupling or decay constants of the theta+(1540) and cascade--(1862) pentaquarks, the DsJ+(2317), D0(2308) and D0(2405) charmed scalar mesons and the X(3872) axial meson. The mesons have been treated as 4-quark exotic states (tetraquarks). Two sum rules methods have been used with special attention given to the limits and uncertainties of the sum rules. Results consistent with experimental data have been found in all cases, but some of the sum rules constraints have been violated in the calculation of the pentaquarks and scalar mesons, leaving questions about the existence of the states as they have been built here. A prediction was also made for the mass of a state expanding the model used for X(3872) to the botton sector, named Xb.

Neste trabalho usamos as regras de soma da QCD para calcular as massas e constantes de acoplamento ou decaimento dos estados exóticos theta+(1540) e cascata--(1862) (pentaquarks), dos mesons escalares charmosos DsJ+(2317), D0(2308) e D0(2405) e do meson axial X(3872). Os mesons foram também tratados como estados exóticos de quatro quarks (tetraquarks). Dois métodos de regra de soma foram aplicados e uma atenção especial foi dada aos limites de validade e incertezas da regra de soma. Em todos os casos encontramos resultados compatíveis com os dados experimentais existentes, mas no caso dos pentaquarks e dos mesons escalares as regras de soma têm algumas de suas condições violadas, levantando a questão sobre a existência das ressonâncias na forma em que foram propostas. Fizemos também uma previsão para um méson axial Xb, que é uma expansão para o setor botônico do modelo assumido para o X(3872). / In this work the QCD Sum Rules have been used to obtain masses and coupling or decay constants of the theta+(1540) and cascade--(1862) pentaquarks, the DsJ+(2317), D0(2308) and D0(2405) charmed scalar mesons and the X(3872) axial meson. The mesons have been treated as 4-quark exotic states (tetraquarks). Two sum rules methods have been used with special attention given to the limits and uncertainties of the sum rules. Results consistent with experimental data have been found in all cases, but some of the sum rules constraints have been violated in the calculation of the pentaquarks and scalar mesons, leaving questions about the existence of the states as they have been built here. A prediction was also made for the mass of a state expanding the model used for X(3872) to the botton sector, named Xb.

No description available.

A measurement using the ATLAS detector has been made of the fraction of events in proton-proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV that do not contain additional jets in the rapidity region bounded by a di-jet system. This provided a strong test of perturbative QCD in the new energy regime of the Large Hadron Collider. Additional measurements have been made of the mean jet multiplicity in the rapidity bounded region and using a variety of different event selections. These observation were compared to recent next to leading order dijet predictions produced by POWHEG and a variety of leading order generators.

For the first time, the Z0 boson angular distribution in the center-of-momentum frame is measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(S) = 7 TeV at the CERN LHC. The data sample, recorded with the CMS detector, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of approximately 36 pb-1. Events in which there is a Z0 and at least one jet, with a jet transverse momentum threshold of 20 GeV and absolute jet rapidity less than 2.4, are selected for the analysis. Only the Z0’s muon decay channel is studied. Within experimental and theoretical uncertainties, the measured angular distribution is in agreement with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD predictions.