The ratio of the charm structure functions F k c (k = 2, L) at low x in deep inelastic scattering with respect to the expansion method

We study the expansion method for the gluon distribution function at low x values and calculate the charm structure functions in the LO and NLO analysis. Our results provide a compact formula for the ratio R ^c = F _L ^c /F ₂ ^c , which is approximately independent of x and the details of the parton distribution function at low x values. This ratio could be a good probe of the charm structure function F ₂ ^c in the proton deduced from the reduced charm cross sections at DESY HERA. These results show that the charm structure functions obtained are in agreement with HERA experimental data and other theoretical models.