Eur. Phys. J. C (2013) 73: 2435
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-013-2435-5

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

QCD analysis of Lambda hyperon production in DIS target-fragmentation region

¹ IFPA, Université de Liège, Allée du 6 août, Bât B5a, 4000, Liège, Belgium
² Université Libre de Bruxelles, Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium
³ CEA, Centre de Saclay, IRFU/Service de Physique Nucléaire, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

^* e-mail: frederico.ceccopieri@hotmail.it

Received: 26 November 2012
Revised: 5 April 2013
Published online: 15 May 2013

Abstract

We consider Lambda-hyperon production in the target-fragmentation region of semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering within the framework of fracture functions. We present a first attempt to determine the flavour and energy dependences of these non-perturbative distributions through a simultaneous QCD-based fit to available neutral- and charged-current semi-inclusive-DIS cross sections. Predictions based on the resulting nucleon-to-Lambda fracture functions are in good agreement with data and observables not included in the regression. The successful prediction of the Q ² dependence of the Lambda multiplicity notably represents the first validation of the perturbative framework implied by fracture functions.