Hadron mass corrections in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Journal of High Energy Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1126-6708/2009/11/084· OSTI ID:978667

We derive mass corrections for semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering of leptons from nucleons using a collinear factorization framework which incorporates the initial state mass of the target nucleon and the final state mass of the produced hadron $$h$$. The hadron mass correction is made by introducing a generalized, finite-$Q^2$ scaling variable $$\zeta_h$$ for the hadron fragmentation function, which approaches the usual energy fraction $$z_h = E_h/\nu$$ in the Bjorken limit. We systematically examine the kinematic dependencies of the mass corrections to semi-inclusive cross sections, and find that these are even larger than for inclusive structure functions. The hadron mass corrections compete with the experimental uncertainties at kinematics typical of current facilities, $$Q^2 \lesssim 10$$~GeV$^2$ and intermediate $$x_B \gtrsim 0.3$$, and will be important to efforts at extracting parton distributions from semi-inclusive processes at intermediate energies.

• Research Organization: Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-06OR23177
• OSTI ID: 978667
• Report Number(s): JLAB-THY-09-1028; DOE/OR/23177-0862
• Journal Information: Journal of High Energy Physics, Journal Name: Journal of High Energy Physics Vol. 11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
CROSS SECTIONS
DEEP INELASTIC SCATTERING
FACTORIZATION
FRAGMENTATION
HADRONS
LEPTONS
NUCLEONS
STRUCTURE FUNCTIONS
TARGETS