Transversity Distribution Does Not Contribute to Hard Exclusive Electroproduction of Mesons

We show that in hard exclusive electroproduction, ep-->eVp, the leading-twist hard-scattering coefficient for the production of a transversely polarized vector meson V vanishes to all orders of perturbation theory. This implies that this process cannot be used to measure the skewed transversity distribution of quarks in a hadron. In contrast, a recent calculation obtained a non-zero value at NLO. We show that this calculation is incorrect because it failed to include the necessary collinear subtractions. Our method of proof also applies to other processes whose hard-scattering coefficients are constrained by chirality and helicity conservation, and thus validates helicity selection rules based on these symmetries.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, ReVTe

QCD Factorization for Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering at Low Transverse Momentum

We demonstrate a factorization formula for semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering with hadrons in the current fragmentation region detected at low transverse momentum. To facilitate the factorization, we introduce the transverse-momentum dependent parton distributions and fragmentation functions with gauge links slightly off the light-cone, and with soft-gluon radiations subtracted. We verify the factorization to one-loop order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics and argue that it is valid to all orders in perturbation theory.Comment: 28 pages, figures include

Momentum Flow Correlations from Event Shapes: Factorized Soft Gluons and Soft-Collinear Effective Theory

The distributions of two-jet event shapes contain information on hadronization in QCD. Near the two-jet limit, these distributions can be described by convolutions of nonperturbative event shape functions with the same distributions calculated in resummed perturbation theory. The shape functions, in turn, are determined by correlations of momentum flow operators with each other and with light-like Wilson lines, which describe the coupling of soft, wide-angle radiation to jets. We observe that leading power corrections to the mean values of event shapes are determined by the correlation of a single momentum flow operator with the relevant Wilson lines. This generalizes arguments for the universality of leading power corrections based on the low-scale behavior of the running coupling or resummation. We also show how a study of the angularity event shapes can provide information on correlations involving multiple momentum flow operators, giving a window to the system of QCD dynamics that underlies the variety of event shape functions. In deriving these results, we review, develop and compare factorization techniques in conventional perturbative QCD and soft-collinear effective theory (SCET). We give special emphasis to the elimination of double counting of momentum regions in these two formalisms.Comment: 25 pages revtex

A strategy towards the extraction of the Sivers function with TMD evolution

The QCD evolution of the unpolarized Transverse Momentum Dependent (TMD) distribution functions and of the Sivers functions have been discussed in recent papers. Following such results we reconsider previous extractions of the Sivers functions from semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering data and propose a simple strategy which allows to take into account the Q^2 dependence of the TMDs in comparison with experimental findings. A clear evidence of the phenomenological success of the TMD evolution equations is given, mostly, by the newest COMPASS data off a transversely polarized proton target.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, 2 table

Perturbation Theory of Coulomb Gauge Yang-Mills Theory Within the First Order Formalism

Perturbative Coulomb gauge Yang-Mills theory within the first order formalism is considered. Using a differential equation technique and dimensional regularization, analytic results for both the ultraviolet divergent and finite parts of the two-point functions at one-loop order are derived. It is shown how the non-ultraviolet divergent parts of the results are finite at spacelike momenta with kinematical singularities on the light-cone and subsequent branch cuts extending into the timelike region.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figure

Hard-scattering factorization with heavy quarks: A general treatment

A detailed proof of hard scattering factorization is given with the inclusion of heavy quark masses. Although the proof is explicitly given for deep-inelastic scattering, the methods apply more generally The power-suppressed corrections to the factorization formula are uniformly suppressed by a power of \Lambda/Q, independently of the size of heavy quark masses, M, relative to Q.Comment: 52 pages. Version as published plus correction of misprint in Eq. (45

Single spin asymmetries in DIS

We consider possible mechanisms for single spin asymmetries in inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) processes with unpolarized leptons and transversely polarized nucleons. Tests for the effects of non-zero \bfk_\perp, for the properties of spin dependent quark fragmentations and for quark helicity conservation are suggested.Comment: 5 pages, LaTeX, no figures. Revised version, to be published in Phys. Rev. D. Some equations and statements added to clarify text and notation

Relative distributions of W's and Z's at low transverse momenta

Despite large uncertainties in the $W^\pm$ and $Z^0$ transverse momentum ($q_T$) distributions for q_T\lsim 10 GeV, the ratio of the distributions varys little. The uncertainty in the ratio of $W$ to $Z$ $q_T$ distributions is on the order of a few percent, independent of the details of the nonperturbative parameterization.Comment: 13 pages in revtex, 5 postscript figures available upon request, UIOWA-94-0

Fully Unintegrated Parton Correlation Functions and Factorization in Lowest Order Hard Scattering

Motivated by the need to correct the potentially large kinematic errors in approximations used in the standard formulation of perturbative QCD, we reformulate deeply inelastic lepton-proton scattering in terms of gauge invariant, universal parton correlation functions which depend on all components of parton four-momentum. Currently, different hard QCD processes are described by very different perturbative formalisms, each relying on its own set of kinematical approximations. In this paper we show how to set up formalism that avoids approximations on final-state momenta, and thus has a very general domain of applicability. The use of exact kinematics introduces a number of significant conceptual shifts already at leading order, and tightly constrains the formalism. We show how to define parton correlation functions that generalize the concepts of parton density, fragmentation function, and soft factor. After setting up a general subtraction formalism, we obtain a factorization theorem. To avoid complications with Ward identities the full derivation is restricted to abelian gauge theories; even so the resulting structure is highly suggestive of a similar treatment for non-abelian gauge theories.Comment: 44 pages, 69 figures typos fixed, clarifications and second appendix adde