Automated NLO calculations for asymmetric hadron-hadron collisions in MadGraph5_aMC@NLO

We have extended MadGraph5_aMC@NLO capabilities by implementing computations for asymmetric hadron-hadron collisions, including proton-nucleus, pion-hadron or nucleus-nucleus collisions in order to obtain a tool for automated perturbative computations of cross sections (or ratios of cross sections) in asymmetric reactions at next-to-leading (NLO) order in αS in collinear factorisation. This tool, like the original symmetric version of MadGraph5_aMC@NLO, automatically computes cross sections for different factorisation and renormalisation scales and PDFs provided by the LHAPDF library, thereby allowing for an easy assessment of the associated theoretical uncertainties. In this paper, we present the validation of our code using W and Z boson production in pPb collisions and Drell-Yan-pair production in πW collisions. We also illustrate the capabilities of the framework by providing cross section and nuclear modification factors with their uncertainties for the production of W and Z bosons, charm and bottom quarks as well as associated production of bb¯+H0 in pPb collisions at the LHC.