Fixed target Drell-Yan data and NNLO QCD fits of parton distribution functions

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.74.054033· OSTI ID:20871121

Alekhin, Sergey; Melnikov, Kirill; Petriello, Frank ^[1]

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1. Institute for High Energy Physics Protvino, 142281, (Russian Federation)

We discuss the influence of fixed-target Drell-Yan data on the extraction of parton distribution functions at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in QCD. When used in a parton distribution fit, the Drell-Yan (DY) data constrain sea quark distributions at large values of Bjorken x. We find that not all available DY data are useful for improving the precision of parton distribution functions (PDFs) obtained from a fit to the deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data. In particular, some inconsistencies between DIS-based parton distribution functions and DY data for large values of dilepton rapidity are found. However, by selecting a sample of the DY data that is both representative and consistent with the DIS data, we are able to perform a combined PDF fit that significantly improves the precision of nonstrange quark distributions at large values of x. The NNLO QCD corrections to the DY process are crucial for improving the precision. They reduce the uncertainty of the theoretical prediction, making it comparable to the experimental uncertainty in DY cross-sections over a broad range of x.

• OSTI ID: 20871121
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 74; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ACCURACY
CORRECTIONS
CROSS SECTIONS
DEEP INELASTIC SCATTERING
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
DRELL MODEL
PARTICLE RAPIDITY
QUANTUM CHROMODYNAMICS
QUARKS