Eur. Phys. J. C (2012) 72: 2131
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-012-2131-x

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Linear vs. non-linear QCD evolution: from HERA data to LHC phenomenology

¹ IPNO, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS/IN2P3, 91406, Orsay, France
² IPhT, CEA/Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
³ CENTRA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal
⁴ Physics Department, Theory Unit, CERN, 1211, Genève 23, Switzerland
⁵ LPTHE, UPMC Univ. Paris 6 and CNRS UMR7589, Paris, France

^* e-mail: pquiroga@lpthe.jussieu.fr

Received: 14 June 2012
Revised: 8 August 2012
Published online: 8 September 2012

Abstract

The very precise combined HERA data provides a testing ground in which the relevance of novel QCD regimes, other than the successful linear DGLAP evolution, in small-x inclusive DIS data can be ascertained. We present a study of the dependence of the AAMQS fits, based on the running coupling BK non-linear evolution equations (rcBK), on the fitted dataset. This allows for the identification of the kinematical region where rcBK accurately describes the data, and thus for the determination of its applicability boundary. We compare the rcBK results with NNLO DGLAP fits, obtained with the NNPDF methodology with analogous kinematical cuts. Further, we explore the impact on LHC phenomenology of applying stringent kinematical cuts to the low-x HERA data in a DGLAP fit.