Progress in the NNPDF global analyses of proton structure (2104.09174v1)

Abstract: I review recent progress in the NNPDF global analyses of parton distributions (PDFs) focusing on developments contributing to its new upcoming release: NNPDF4.0. The NNPDF4.0 determination represents unprecedented progress in three main directions: i) the systematic inclusion of LHC Run II data at 13 TeV and of new processes from dijets to single top distributions, ii) the deployment of state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms, from automated hyperparameter optimisation to stochastic gradient descent training; and iii) the complete statistical validation of PDF uncertainties, both in the data and extrapolation regions, by means of closure and future tests. Other methodological improvements in NNPDF4.0 include strict PDF positivity, integrability constraints at small-$x$, and deuteron and heavy nuclear corrections. I present representative results from NNPDF4.0 and assess its impact on open issues such as the light anti-quark asymmetry and the charm content of protons.