https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-024-12403-7
Regular Article - Theoretical Physics
Developing predictions for pion fragmentation functions
1
School of Physics, Nanjing University, 210093, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
2
Institute for Nonperturbative Physics, Nanjing University, 210093, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
3
European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas, Villa Tambosi, Strada delle Tabarelle 286, 38123, Villazzano, TN, Italy
4
Department of Physics, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 200093, Shanghai, China
Received:
13
November
2023
Accepted:
5
January
2024
Published online:
25
January
2024
Exploiting crossing symmetry, the hadron scale pion valence quark distribution function is used to predict the kindred elementary valence quark fragmentation function (FF). This function defines the kernel of a quark jet fragmentation equation, which is solved to obtain the full pion FFs. After evolution to a scale typical of FF fits to data, the results for quark FFs are seen to compare favourably with such fits. However, the gluon FF is markedly different. Notably, although FF evolution equations do not themselves guarantee momentum conservation, inclusion of a gluon FF which, for four quark flavours, distributes roughly 11% of the total light-front momentum fraction, is sufficient to restore momentum conservation under evolution. Overall, significant uncertainty is attached to FFs determined via fits to data; hence, the features of the predictions described herein could potentially provide useful guidance for future such studies.
© The Author(s) 2024
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