Spin-dependent Parton Distribution Functions Research Articles

How well do we know the gluon polarization in the proton?

We perform the first simultaneous global QCD analysis of spin-averaged and spin-dependent parton distribution functions (PDFs), including single jet production data from unpolarized and polarized hadron collisions. We critically assess the impact of SU(3) flavor symmetry and PDF positivity assumptions on the quark and gluon helicity PDFs, and find strong bias from these, particularly on the gluon polarization. The simultaneous analysis allows for the first time extraction of individual helicity-aligned and antialigned PDFs with a consistent treatment of uncertainties.

Confronting lattice parton distributions with global QCD analysis

We present the first Monte Carlo based global QCD analysis of spin-averaged and spin-dependent parton distribution functions (PDFs) that includes nucleon isovector matrix elements in coordinate space from lattice QCD. We investigate the degree of universality of the extracted PDFs when the lattice and experimental data are treated under the same conditions within the Bayesian likelihood analysis. For the unpolarized sector, we find rather weak constraints from the current lattice data on the phenomenological PDFs, and difficulties in describing the lattice matrix elements at large spatial distances. In contrast, for the polarized PDFs we find good agreement between experiment and lattice data, with the latter providing significant constraints on the spin-dependent isovector quark and antiquark distributions.

Analytical approaches to the determination of spin-dependent parton distribution functions at NNLO approximation

In this paper, we present {\tt SMKA18} analysis which is a first attempt to extract the set of next-to-next-leading-order (NNLO) spin-dependent parton distribution functions (spin-dependent PDFs) and their uncertainties determined through the Laplace transform technique and Jacobi polynomial approach. Using the Laplace transformations, we present an analytical solution for the spin-dependent Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi evolution equations at NNLO approximation. The results are extracted using a wide range of proton $g_1^{p}(x, Q^2)$, neutron $g_1^{n}(x, Q^2)$ and deuteron $g_1^{d}(x, Q^2)$ spin-dependent structure functions dataset including the most recent high-precision measurements from {\tt COMPASS16} experiments at CERN which are playing an increasingly important role in global spin-dependent fits. The careful estimations of uncertainties have been done using the standard 'Hessian error' propagation. We will compare our results with the available spin-dependent inclusive deep inelastic scattering dataset and other results for the spin-dependent PDFs in literature. The results obtained for the spin-dependent PDFs as well as spin-dependent structure functions are clearly explained both in the small and large values of $x$.

Next-to-next-to-leading order QCD analysis of spin-dependent parton distribution functions and their uncertainties: Jacobi polynomials approach

We present a first QCD analysis of next-to-next-leading-order (NNLO) contributions of the spin-dependent parton distribution functions (PPDFs) in the nucleon and their uncertainties using the Jacobi polynomial approach. Having the NNLO contributions of the quark-quark and gluon-quark splitting functions in perturbative QCD (Nucl. Phys. B 889 (2014) 351-400), one can obtain the evolution of longitudinally polarized parton densities of hadrons up to NNLO accuracy of QCD. A very large sets of recent and up-to-date experimental data of spin structure functions of the proton $g_1^p$, neutron $g_1^n$, and deuteron $g_1^d$ have been used in this analysis. The predictions for the NNLO calculations of the polarized parton distribution functions as well as the proton, neutron and deuteron polarized structure functions are compared with the corresponding results of the NLO approximation. We form a mutually consistent set of polarized PDFs due to the inclusion of the most available experimental data including the recently high-precision measurements from {\tt COMPASS16} experiments (Phys. Lett. B 753 (2016) 18-28). We have performed a careful estimation of the uncertainties using the most common and practical method, the Hessian method, for the polarized PDFs originating from the experimental errors. The proton, neutron and deuteron structure functions and also their first moments, $\Gamma^{\rm p, n, d}$, are in good agreement with the experimental data at small and large momentum fraction of $x$. We will discuss how our knowledge of spin-dependence structure functions can improve at small and large value of $x$ by the recent {\tt COMPASS16} measurements at CERN, the {\tt PHENIX} and {\tt STAR} measurements at RHIC, and at the future proposed colliders such as Electron-Ion collider (EIC).

Constraints on spin-dependent parton distributions at large x from global QCD analysis

We investigate the behavior of spin-dependent parton distribution functions (PDFs) at large parton momentum fractions x in the context of global QCD analysis. We explore the constraints from existing deep-inelastic scattering data, and from theoretical expectations for the leading x→1 behavior based on hard gluon exchange in perturbative QCD. Systematic uncertainties from the dependence of the PDFs on the choice of parametrization are studied by considering functional forms motivated by orbital angular momentum arguments. Finally, we quantify the reduction in the PDF uncertainties that may be expected from future high-x data from Jefferson Lab at 12 GeV.

A first unbiased global determination of polarized PDFs and their uncertainties

We present a first global determination of spin-dependent parton distribution functions (PDFs) and their uncertainties using the NNPDF methodology: NNPDFpol1.1. Longitudinally polarized deep-inelastic scattering data, already used for the previous NNPDFpol1.0 PDF set, are supplemented with the most recent polarized hadron collider data for inclusive jet and W boson production from the STAR and PHENIX experiments at RHIC, and with open-charm production data from the COMPASS experiment, thereby allowing for a separate determination of the polarized quark and antiquark PDFs, and an improved determination of the medium- and large-x polarized gluon PDF. We study the phenomenological implications of the NNPDFpol1.1 set, and we provide predictions for the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry for semi-inclusive pion production at RHIC.

Charge symmetry breaking from a chiral extrapolation of moments of quark distribution functions

We present a determination, from lattice QCD, of charge symmetry violation in the spin-independent and spin-dependent parton distribution functions of the nucleon. This is done by chirally extrapolating recent QCDSF/UKQCD Collaboration lattice simulations of the first several Mellin moments of the parton distribution functions of octet baryons to the physical point. We find small chiral corrections for the polarized moments, while the corrections are quantitatively significant in the unpolarized case.

Charge symmetry breaking in spin-dependent parton distributions and the Bjorken sum rule

We present the first determination of charge symmetry violation (CSV) in the spin-dependent parton distribution functions of the nucleon. This is done by determining the first two Mellin moments of the spin-dependent parton distribution functions of the octet baryons from Nf=2+1 lattice simulations. This exploratory work is performed using a single value of the lattice spacing and volume. The results are compared with predictions from quark models of nucleon structure. We discuss the contribution of partonic spin CSV to the Bjorken sum rule, which is important because the CSV contributions represent the only partonic corrections to the Bjorken sum rule.

Nucleon polarised parton distribution functions

An introduction to the present status of spin-dependent parton distribution functions is given. Both, results from lepton scattering experiments and from polarised proton-proton collisions with longitudinal polarisation are included. Particular emphasis is put on recent results for the gluon polarisation, which is a key element in the nucleon spin structure. Very large gluon polarisation scenarios, put forward to explain the small quark spin contribution to the nucleon spin, are now strongly disfavoured.

Progress in the calculation of nucleon form factors and parton distribution functions

Even though current lattice calculations are limited to unrealistically large quark masses, it is possible to implement the model independent constraints of chiral symmetry in extrapolations to the physical region. We discuss the role of the Δ-isobar in the extrapolation of the moments of spin dependent parton distribution functions. Unlike the unpolarised case, the Δ plays a crucial role for the isovector spin dependent distributions. We also present initial results for the extrapolation of isovector nucleon form factors, finding reasonably good agreement with experimental data.

Asymmetry parameter as a function of transverse momentum in the production of dileptons with polarized beam and target

We calculate in quantum-chromodynamic perturbation theory the asymmetry parameter $A$ in the production of massive dileptons in collisions of polarized hadrons as a function of transverse momentum, using various models of spin-dependent parton distribution functions. We find $A$ to be negative, large, and model-dependent for $p\ensuremath{-}\overline{p}$ collisions, whereas for $p\ensuremath{-}p$ collisions $A$ is not strongly model dependent and varies from -5 to 7% for various values of transverse momentum.