Introduction to Theory Nuisance Parameters

Frank Tackmann (DESY Hamburg)

Aug 20. 2026, 10:00 — 10:40

I will discuss how to quantify perturbative theory uncertainties with theory nuisance parameters (TNPs). I first discuss the fundamental needs and motivations for a rigorous treatment of theory uncertainties and their correlations for precision analyses. I briefly recap why traditional scale-variation based approaches just don't cut it. I will then give a pedagogical introduction to the basic ideas and concepts behind the TNP approach and how it provides meaningful theory uncertainties that reflect our knowledge, correctly account for correlations, and allow for a meaningful statistical interpretation. To illustrate its application I will use qT resummation as a concrete example.

Further Information
Venue:
ESI Schrödinger Lecture Hall
Associated Event:
New Paradigms for Harnessing Quantum Field Theory at Colliders (Thematic Programme)
Organizer(s):
Alessandro Broggio (U of Vienna)
André H. Hoang (U of Vienna)
Bianka Meçaj (LANL, Los Alamos)
Simon Plätzer (U of Graz)
Massimiliano Procura (U of Vienna)
Rudi Rahn (U of Vienna)
Malin Sjödahl (Lund U)
Iain W. Stewart (MIT, Cambridge)