Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Processes Research Articles

Semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering in Wandzura-Wilczek-type approximation

We present the complete cross-section for the production of unpolarized hadrons in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering up to power-suppressed mathcal{O}left(1/{Q}^2right) terms in the Wandzura-Wilczek-type approximation, which consists in systematically assuming that overline{q}gq -terms are much smaller than overline{q}q -correlators. We compute all twist-2 and twist-3 structure functions and the corresponding asymmetries, and discuss the applicability of the Wandzura-Wilczek-type approximations on the basis of available data. We make predictions that can be tested by data from COMPASS, HERMES, Jefferson Lab, and the future Electron-Ion Collider. The results of this paper can be readily used for phenomenology and for event generators, and will help to improve the description of semi-inclusive deep-inelastic processes in terms of transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions and fragmentation functions beyond the leading twist.

Phenomenological Implementations of TMD Evolution

Although the theoretical set-up of TMD evolution appears to be well established, its phenomenological implementations still require special attention, particularly as far as the interplay between perturbative and non-perturbative contributions is concerned. These issues have been extensively studied in Drell-Yan processes, where they seem to be reasonably under control. Instead, applying the same prescriptions and methodologies to Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic (SIDIS) processes is, at present, far from obvious. Some of the controversies related to the applications of TMD Evolution to SIDIS processes will be discussed with practical examples, exploring different kinematical configurations of SIDIS experiments.

Reanalysis of azimuthal spin asymmetries of meson electroproduction

The azimuthal spin asymmetries for pion production in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering of unpolarized charged lepton beams on longitudinally polarized nucleon targets, are reanalyzed by taking into account an important sign correction to previous formulas. It is found that different approaches of distribution functions and fragmentation functions may lead to distinct predictions on the azimuthal asymmetries measured in the HERMES experiments, thus the available data cannot be considered as a direct measurement of quark transversity distributions, although they still can serve to provide useful information on these distributions and on T-odd fragmentation functions. Predictions of the azimuthal spin asymmetries for kaon production are also presented, with different approaches of distribution and fragmentation functions. The unfavored fragmentation functions cannot be neglected for $K^-$ and $K^0_S$ production in semi-inclusive deep inelastic processes.

Fracture functions from cut vertices

Using a generalized cut vertex expansion we introduce the concept of an extended fracture function for the description of semi-inclusive deep inelastic processes in the target fragmentation region. Extended fracture functions are shown to obey a standard homogeneous DGLAP-type equation which, upon integration over t, becomes the usual inhomogeneous evolution equation for ordinary fracture functions.

Cut vertices and semi-inclusive deep inelastic processes

Cut vertices, a generalization of matrix elements of local operators, are revisited, and an expansion in terms of minimally subtracted cut vertices is formulated. An extension of the formalism to deal with semi-inclusive deep inelastic processes in the target fragmentation region is explicitly constructed. The problem of factorization is discussed in detail.

Off-mass-shell deformation of the nucleon structure function.

The off-mass-shell behavior of the nucleon structure function ${\mathit{F}}_{2}^{\mathit{N}}$ is studied within an approach motivated by the Sullivan model. Deep inelastic scattering on the nucleon is considered to second order in the pion-nucleon coupling constant, corresponding to the dressing of the bare nucleons by the mesonic cloud. The inclusive and semi-inclusive deep inelastic processes on the deuteron involving off-shell nucleons are considered. A deformation of the mesonic cloud for the off-mass-shell nucleon, compared to the free one, generates observable effects in deep inelastic scattering. In particular, it leads to the breakdown of the convolution model, i.e., the deuteron structure functions are not expressed through the free nucleon structure function. Analysis of the semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering on the deuteron, in the spectator approximation, shows that this reaction opens new possibilities to study the role of the off-shell effects in determining the nucleon structure function. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.