Kaon distribution functions from empirical information
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Using available information from Drell-Yan data on pion and kaon structure functions, an approach is described which enables the development of pointwise profiles for all pion and kaon parton distribution functions (DFs) without reference to theories of hadron structure. The key steps are construction of structure-function-constrained probability-weighted ensembles of valence DF replicas and use of an evolution scheme for parton DFs that is all-orders exact. The DFs obtained express qualitatively sound features of light-meson structure, e.g ., the effects of Higgs boson couplings into QCD and the size of heavy-quark momentum fractions in light hadrons. In order to improve the results, additional and more precise data on the u -quark-in-kaon, u K , to u -quark-in-pion, u π , DF ratio would be necessary. Of greater value would be extraction of u K alone, thereby avoiding inference from the ratio: currently, the data-based form of u K is materially influenced by results for u π .
Source: Physics Letters B
Authors: Zhen-Ni Xu, Daniele Binosi, Chen Chen, Khépani Raya, Craig D. Roberts, José Rodríguez-Quintero
Institutions: Universidad de Huelva, European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas, University of Science and Technology of China, Peng Huanwu Center for Fundamental Theory, Nanjing University, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, CEA Paris-Saclay
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409202031