Local charge compensation from colour preconfinement as a key to the dynamics of hadronization

If, as is commonly accepted, the colour-singlet, `preconfined', perturbative clusters are the primary units of hadronization, then the electric charge is necessarily compensated locally at the scale of the typical cluster mass. As a result, the minijet electric charge is suppressed at scales that are greater than the cluster mass. We hence argue, and demonstrate by means of Monte Carlo simulations using HERWIG, that the scale at which charge compensation is violated is close to the mass of the clusters involved in hadronization, and its measurement would provide a clue to resolving the nature of the dynamics. We repeat the calculation using PYTHIA and find that the numbers produced by the two generators are similar. The cluster mass distribution is sensitive to soft emission that is considered unresolved in the parton shower phase. We discuss how the description of the splitting of large clusters in terms of unresolved emission modifies the algorithm of HERWIG, and relate the findings to the yet unknown underlying nonperturbative mechanism. In particular, we propose a form of $\alpha_S$ that follows from a power-enhanced beta function, and discuss how this $\alpha_S$ that governs unresolved emission may be related to power corrections. Our findings are in agreement with experimental data.Comment: 37 pages, 20 figure

Survival probability for high mass diffraction

Based on the calculation of survival probabilities, we discuss the problem of extracting the value of $G_{3P}$, the triple Pomeron 'bare' coupling constant, by comparing the large rapidity gap single high mass diffraction data in proton-proton scattering and $J/\Psi$ photo and DIS production. For p-p scattering the calculation in a three amplitude rescattering eikonal model, predicts the survival probability to be an order of magnitude smaller than for the two amplitude case. The survival probabilities calculation for photo and DIS $J/\Psi$ production is made in a dedicated model. In this process we show that, even though its survival probability is considerably larger than in p-p scattering, its value is below unity and cannot be neglected in the data analysis. We argue that, regardless of the uncertainties in the suggested procedure, its outcome is important both with regards to a realistic estimate of $G_{3P}$, and the survival probabilities relevant to LHC experiments.Comment: 17 pages, 8 pictures and one tabl

Total photoproduction cross-section at very high energy

In this paper we apply to photoproduction total cross-section a model we have proposed for purely hadronic processes and which is based on QCD mini-jets and soft gluon re-summation. We compare the predictions of our model with the HERA data as well as with other models. For cosmic rays, our model predicts substantially higher cross-sections at TeV energies than models based on factorization but lower than models based on mini-jets alone, without soft gluons. We discuss the origin of this difference.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in EPJC. Changes concern added references, clarifications of the Soft Gluon Resummation method used in the paper, and other changes requested by the Journal referee which do not change the results of the original versio

Gauge invariant sub-structures of tree-level double-emission exact QCD spin amplitudes

In this note we discuss possible separations of exact, massive, tree-level spin amplitudes into gauge invariant parts. We concentrate our attention on processes involving two quarks entering a color- neutral current and, thanks to the QCD interactions, two extra external gluons. We will search for forms compatible with parton shower languages, without applying approximations or restrictions on phase space regions. Special emphasis will be put on the isolation of parts necessary for the construction of evolution kernels for individual splittings and to some degree for the running coupling constant as well. Our aim is to better understand the environment necessary to optimally match hard matrix elements with partons shower algorithms. To avoid complications and ambiguities related to regularization schemes, we ignore, at this point, virtual corrections. Our representation is quite universal: any color-neutral current can be used, in particular our approach is not restricted to vector currents only.Comment: 27 pages, formula in section 5 correcte

Formation of dense partonic matter in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions at RHIC: Experimental evaluation by the PHENIX collaboration

Extensive experimental data from high-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions were recorded using the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The comprehensive set of measurements from the first three years of RHIC operation includes charged particle multiplicities, transverse energy, yield ratios and spectra of identified hadrons in a wide range of transverse momenta (p_T), elliptic flow, two-particle correlations, non-statistical fluctuations, and suppression of particle production at high p_T. The results are examined with an emphasis on implications for the formation of a new state of dense matter. We find that the state of matter created at RHIC cannot be described in terms of ordinary color neutral hadrons.Comment: 510 authors, 127 pages text, 56 figures, 1 tables, LaTeX. Submitted to Nuclear Physics A as a regular article; v3 has minor changes in response to referee comments. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (or will be) publicly available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/papers.htm

Jets and QCD: A Historical Review of the Discovery of the Quark and Gluon Jets and its Impact on QCD

The observation of quark and gluon jets has played a crucial role in establishing Quantum Chromodynamics [QCD] as the theory of the strong interactions within the Standard Model of particle physics. The jets, narrowly collimated bundles of hadrons, reflect configurations of quarks and gluons at short distances. Thus, by analysing energy and angular distributions of the jets experimentally, the properties of the basic constituents of matter and the strong forces acting between them can be explored. In this review, which is primarily a description of the discovery of the quark and gluon jets and the impact of their observation on Quantum Chromodynamics, we elaborate, in particular, the role of the gluons as the carriers of the strong force. Focusing on these basic points, jets in e+e− collisions will be in the foreground of the discussion and we will concentrate on the theory that was contemporary with the relevant experiments at the electron-positron colliders. In addition we will delineate the role of jets as tools for exploring other particle aspects in ep and \hbox{$pp/p\bar{p}$} collisions  −  quark and gluon densities in protons, measurements of the QCD coupling, fundamental 2-2 quark/gluon scattering processes, but also the impact of jet decays of top quarks, and W ± , Z bosons on the electroweak sector. The presentation to a large extent is formulated in a non-technical language with the intent to recall the significant steps historically and convey the significance of this field also to communities beyond high energy physics

Jet physics in electron--proton scattering

Hadronic jets in electron–proton collisions at HERA have been used for some considerable time as a tool for tests of the theory of strong interactions, quantum chromodynamics. Using jet final states, basic concepts like the factorisation ansatz for cross-section calculations, the perturbative approach to the cross section and the universality of the proton parton distribution functions can be examined. More concretely, jet measurements provide ready access to the strong coupling of QCD, α s , and to the parton distributions. In this report, an overview of jet results from the HERA experiments H1 and ZEUS and their interpretation is given together with a description of the theoretical foundations of jet physics in electron–proton collisions and of the experimental environment at HERA. Special emphasis is put on extractions of α s values and on the influence of jet data on fits of the proton parton distribution functions. Where useful, the HERA results are also discussed in the light of results from other colliders like LEP, the Tevatron or the LHC. The central message from these studies is that QCD does not only describe most of the measurements very well, but that QCD at HERA has achieved the status of a precision theory. On the other hand it is shown that further understanding of problematic issues relies critically on theoretical progress in the form of improved models or of increased precision in analytical calculations

Measurement of the production rates of charged hadrons in e+ e- annihilation at the Z0

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