Structure functions of nuclei for all x and Q 2

We propose a modified version of the quark cluster model to describe the structure functions of nuclei over the complete kinematical region of the variables x = Q ²/2m _N ν and Q ². The model accounts for shadowing effects at very small x and anti-shadowing in the region 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.3. The experimental observation that the ratio of structure functions F ₂ ^A /F ₂ ^D is less than unity in the region x ? 0.5 is related to the influence of multiquark clusters. The model agrees with all available data on nuclear structure fuctions for a large variety of nuclei, and can be used to make predictions for kinematical regions not yet studied experimentally.     

Event-by-event search for charged-neutral fluctuations in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 A⋅GeV

We analyse the proton electromagnetic form factor ratioR(Q ² ) =QF ₂ (Q ² )/F ₁ (Q ² ) as a function of momentum transferQ ² within perturbative QCD. We find that the prediction for (R(Q ² ) at large momentum transferQ depends on the exclusive quark wave functions, which are unknown. For a wide range of wave functions we find thatQF ₂ F ₁ ～ const. at large momentum transfer, which is in agreement with recent JLAB data.     

Phenomenology of asymptotically free theories in deep inelastic scattering: (I). Electron and muon scattering

We calculate the predictions of asymptotically free theories for deep inelasric scattering using a straightforward Mellin transform technique which uses a minimum of theoretical assumptions. Parameterizing the quark and anti-quark distributions functions, we fit all the available μ and e scattering data. We investigate the sensitivity of the theory of the (almost) unknown gluon distributions and the choice of scaling variable. The best fit uses the formalism of Georgi and Politzer for the 1/Q² terms with a quark gluon coupling constant g²/4π ～ 1 at Q² = 1 (GeV/c)². (Equivalently the scale parameter Λ is 500 MeV/c.) Good fits are also found in simpler models using x, x′ or ξ as scaling variables. The best value of Λ depends strongly on the choice of scaling variable.     

The NLO Parton Distribution in the (x, Q 2)-Plane: A Relativistic Quark-Exchange Approach to A = 3 Mirror Nuclei

A next-to-leading order QCD analysis of polarized and unpolarized structure functions of the proton in the (x, Q²)-plane is discussed within the scheme of the radiation parton formalism. The valence quark distribution is obtained from the application of the relativistic quark-exchange model to A = 3 mirror nuclei, i.e., ³He and ³H. The sea quark and gluon distributions are calculated using the inverse Mellin technique in the NLO approximation. A comparison is made with the corresponding available experimental data. We find a good fit for F₂^p(x, Q²) to the data. It is shown that our new NLO calculation improves our previous works. We argue that the valence quark scenario at some μ₀² ≪ Q² is a reasonable assumption in the framework of the DGLAP evolution equation. In agreement with the data, it is demonstrated that the asymmetry A₁^p(x, Q²) has no significant Q²-dependence as we go to the small x, even at NLO limit. Finally we argue that for small x ≤ 0.2 it is a good approximation to consider ³He and ³H structure functions as those of neutrons and protons, respectively.     

A QCD analysis of the 〈p2T〉 behaviour observed in recent semi-inclusive neutrino data

Relying on a recent recalculation of the β-function in massive QCD, we show that a theory with infinitely many quark flavors is asymptotically free if the quark masses grow as m_n² = n^σM₀², 1 < σ ? 3.6; the precise definition of the (via the three-gluon vertex) enters in an essential way. In these models the running coupling constant decays like an inverse power of Q² as Q² → ∞. Some phenomenological implications of this curious result are discussed.     

Total cross sections and nucleon structure functions in the gargamelle SPS neutrino/antineutrino experiment

Total neutrino and antineutrino cross sections in the energy range 15 to 150 GeV, and the nucleon structure functions, F₂(x, Q²) and xF₃(x, Q²) in the Q² range 0.5 to 50 (GeV/c)² have been measured using a data sample of 3000 neutrino and 3800 antineutrino events. The structure functions show a weak Q² dependence at different x values.     

Model for nucleon gluon and sea quark structure functions at allx and allQ 2 from the correspondence between QCD and DTU

We propose a simple parametrization of the nucleon gluon and sea quark structure functions at allx, and allQ ². We use the DTU parton model to fix the parametrization at a reference point (Q ₀ ² =1.25 GeV² andA ²=0.01 GeV²) and we mimic the QCD evolution by replacing the dimensioned parameters of the DTU parton model by functions depending onQ ².     

Charm production and parton distributions

Recent accurate data on F ₂(x,Q) and on F ₂ ^c (x,Q) from HERA at small-x require a more precise treatment of charm production in the global analysis of parton distributions. We improve on existing global QCD analyses by implementing the leptoproduction formalism of Aivazis et al. which represents a natural generalization of the conventional zero mass QCD parton framework to include heavy quark mass effects. We also perform analyses based on the fixed-flavor-number scheme, which is widely used in the literature, and demonstrate their uses and limitations. We discuss the implications of the improved treatment of heavy quark mass effect in practical applications of PQCD and compare our results with recent related works.     

Twist-4 gluon recombination corrections for deep inelastic structure functions

We calculate twist-4 coefficient functions for the deep inelastic structure function F₂(x,Q²) associated to 4-gluon operator matrix elements for general values of the Bjorken variable x and study the numerical effect on the slope ∂F₂(x,Q²)/∂logQ². It is shown that these contributions diminish the strongly rising twist-2 terms towards small values of x.     

Deep-inelastic scattering in κ factorization and the anatomy of the differential gluon structure function of the proton

The differential gluon structure function of the proton, ?(x, Q ²), introduced by Fadin, Kuraev, and Lipatov in 1975 is extensively used in small-x QCD. We report here the first determination of ?(x, Q ²) from experimental data on the small-x proton structure function F _2p (x, Q ²). We give convenient parametrizations for ?(x, Q ²) based partly on the available DGLAP evolution fits (GRV, CTEQ, and MRS) to parton distribution functions and on realistic extrapolations into the soft region. We discuss the impact of soft gluons on various observables. The x dependence of the so-determined ?(x, Q ²) varies strongly with Q ² and does not exhibit simple Regge properties. Nonetheless, the hard-to-soft diffusion is found to give rise to a viable approximation of the proton structure function F _2p (x, Q ²) by the soft and hard Regge components with intercepts Δ_soft=0 and Δ_hard ～ 0.4.     

Thermodynamical analysis of the EMC effect

Assuming that the sea quark distribution vanishes for x > 0.3, we analyse the F₂^Fe(x, Q²) and F₂^D(x, Q²) structure functions measured by the European Muon Collaboration in the framework of a thermodynamical model of the valence quarks. The experimental ratio $\text{F}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>Fe</mtext>}}\text{(x)}\text{F}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>D</mtext>}}\text{(x)}$ is well reproduced over the whole x range by the ratio of two valence quark distributions at different temperatures T and confinement volumes V. We obtain T_D?T_Fe≈3 MeV and $\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Fe</mtext>}}\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>D</mtext>}}\text{≈ 1.3}$.     

Gottfried sum rule from maximum entropy method quark distributions with DGLAP evolution and with DGLAP evolution with GLR-MQ-ZRS corrections

A new method to test the valence quark distribution of nucleons obtained from the maximum entropy method using the Gottfried sum rule by performing the DGLAP equations with GLR-MQ-ZRS corrections and the original leading-order/next-to-leading-order(LO/NLO) DGLAP equations is outlined. The test relies on knowledge of the unpolarized electron–proton structure function F_2~(ep) and the electron–neutron structure function F_2~(en) and the assumption that Bjorken scaling is satisfied. In this work, the original Gottfried summation value obtained by the integrals of the structure function at different Q~2 is in accordance with the theoretical value of 1/3 under the premise of light-quark flavor symmetry of the nucleon sea, whether it results from dynamical evolution equations or from global quantum chromodynamics fits of PDFs. Finally, we present the summation value of the LO/NLO DGLAP global fits of PDFs under the premise of light-quark flavor asymmetry of the nucleon sea. According to analysis of the original Gottfried summation value with two evolution equations at different Q~2, we find that the valence quark distributions of nucleons obtained by using the maximum entropy method are effective and reliable.     

Possible parametrization of parton distributions incorporating singular smallx behaviour implied by QCD and its phenomenological implications for HERA

The gluon and quark distributions of the nucleon are evaluated using the Altarelli-Parisi equations with the input distributions atQ ₀ ² =5 GeV² for seaquarks and gluons modified by the factor (ax ^?0.5+b). The new parametrization is constrained to satisfy the momentum sum rule and after backward evolution (fromQ ₀ ² =5 GeV² toQ ²=1 GeV²) it is also constrained to give approximately 1/x behaviour of the sea-quark and gluon distributions in the limited region of smallx (10^?3<x<10^?2 or so). The theoretical predictions relevant for HERA for structure functionsF ₂(x, Q ²) andF _L (x, Q ²) in the region of very smallx(10^?4<x<10^?2) and largeQ ² and for the cross-sectionσ(γ^* p→ΨX) are presented. Distributions of heavy quarks (c,b,t) are also discussed.     

The effect of quark exchange in A = 3 mirror nuclei and neutron/proton structure functions ratio

By using the quark-exchange formalism, the realistic Faddeev wave function and the Fermi motion effect, we investigate the deep inelastic electron scattering from A = 3 mirror nuclei in the deep-valence region. The initial valence quark input is taken from the GRV's (Glück, Reya and Vogt) fitting procedure and the next-to-leading-order QCD evolution on F₂^p(x, Q²) which gives a very good fit to the available data in the (x, Q²)-plane. It is shown that the free neutron to proton structure functions ratio can be extracted from the corresponding EMC ratios for ³He and ³H mirror nuclei by using the self-consistent iteration procedure and the results are in good agreement with the other theoretical models as well as the present available experimental data and especially the projected data expected from the proposed 11GeV Jefferson Laboratory in the near future.     

Measurement of the proton structure function F 2 at low x and low Q 2 at HERA

We report on a measurement of the proton structure function F ₂ in the range 3.5 × 10^?5 ≤ x ≤ 4 × 10^?3 and 1.5 GeV² ≤ Q ² ≤ 15 GeV² at the ep collider HERA operating at a centre-of-mass energy of ${sqrt s} = 300 {? GeV}$. The rise of F ₂ with decreasing x observed in the previous HERA measurements persists in this lower x and Q ² range. The Q ² evolution of F ₂, even at the lowest Q ² and x measured, is consistent with perturbative QCD.     

Hadronic wave functions at short distances and the operator product expansion

The operator product expansion, of appropriate products of quark fields, is used to find the anomalous dimensions which control the short distance behavior of hadronic wave functions. This behavior in turn controls the high-Q² limit of hadronic form factors. In particular, we relate each anomalous dimension of the nonsinglet structure functions to a corresponding logarithmic correction factor to the nominal α_S(Q²)/Q² fall off of meson form factors. Unlike the case of deep inelastic lepton-hadron scattering, the operator product necessary here involves extra terms which do not contribute to forward matrix elements.     

Origin of the Q 2-dependence of the DIS structure functions

We consider in detail Q ²-dependence of the DIS structure functions. Very often this dependence is claimed to be originated by the Q ²-dependence of the QCD coupling. This leads to the small-x asymptotics of the structure functions with Q ²-dependent intercepts. We demonstrate that the DGLAP parametrization α _s = α _s (Q ²) is an approximation valid in the region of large x (where 2pq can be approximated by Q ²) only, providing the factorization scale is also large. Outside this region, the DGLAP parametrization fails, so α _s should be replaced by an effective coupling which is independent of Q ² at small x. As a consequence, intercepts of the structure functions are independent of Q ² . Nevertheless, the small-x asymptotics of the structure functions explicitly depend on Q ² , even when the coupling does not depend on it. We also consider the structure functions at small Q ² and give a comment on power-Q ² corrections to the structure functions at large and small Q ² .