Measurement of double-differential cross sections for top quark pair production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = $ 8 TeV and impact on parton distribution functions

Normalized double-differential cross sections for top quark pair ($ \mathrm{ t \bar{t} } $) production are measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb$^{-1}$. The measurement is performed in the dilepton $\mathrm{ e }^{\pm}\mu^{\mp}$ final state. The $ \mathrm{ t \bar{t} } $ cross section is determined as a function of various pairs of observables characterizing the kinematics of the top quark and $ \mathrm{ t \bar{t} } $ system. The data are compared to calculations using perturbative quantum chromodynamics at next-to-leading and approximate next-to-next-to-leading orders. They are also compared to predictions of Monte Carlo event generators that complement fixed-order computations with parton showers, hadronization, and multiple-parton interactions. Overall agreement is observed with the predictions, which is improved when the latest global sets of proton parton distribution functions are used. The inclusion of the measured $ \mathrm{ t \bar{t} } $ cross sections in a fit of parametrized parton distribution functions is shown to have significant impact on the gluon distribution.Normalized double-differential cross sections for top quark pair ( $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$ ) production are measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 $\,\text {TeV}$ with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 $\,\text {fb}^{-1}$ . The measurement is performed in the dilepton $\mathrm {e}^{\pm }\mu ^{\mp }$ final state. The $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$ cross section is determined as a function of various pairs of observables characterizing the kinematics of the top quark and $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$ system. The data are compared to calculations using perturbative quantum chromodynamics at next-to-leading and approximate next-to-next-to-leading orders. They are also compared to predictions of Monte Carlo event generators that complement fixed-order computations with parton showers, hadronization, and multiple-parton interactions. Overall agreement is observed with the predictions, which is improved when the latest global sets of proton parton distribution functions are used. The inclusion of the measured $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$ cross sections in a fit of parametrized parton distribution functions is shown to have significant impact on the gluon distribution.Normalized double-differential cross sections for top quark pair (t t-bar) production are measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. The measurement is performed in the dilepton e+/- mu-/+ final state. The t t-bar cross section is determined as a function of various pairs of observables characterizing the kinematics of the top quark and t t-bar system. The data are compared to calculations using perturbative quantum chromodynamics at next-to-leading and approximate next-to-next-to-leading orders. They are also compared to predictions of Monte Carlo event generators that complement fixed-order computations with parton showers, hadronization, and multiple-parton interactions. Overall agreement is observed with the predictions, which is improved when the latest global sets of proton parton distribution functions are used. The inclusion of the measured t t-bar cross sections in a fit of parametrized parton distribution functions is shown to have significant impact on the gluon distribution