Off-forward Matrix Elements in Light-front Hamiltonian QCD

We investigate the off-forward matrix element of the light cone vector operator for a dressed quark state in light-front Hamiltonian perturbation theory. We obtain the corresponding splitting functions in a straightforward way. We show that the end point singularity is canceled by the contribution from the normalization of state. Considering mixing with the gluon operator, we verify the helicity sum rule in perturbation theory. We show that the quark mass effects are suppressed in the plus component of the matrix element but in the transverse component, they are not suppressed. We emphasize that this is a particularity of the off-forward matrix element and is absent in the forward case.Comment: 12 pages, revtex, 1 figur

Nonperturbative Description of Deep Inelastic Structure Functions in Light-Front QCD

We explore the deep inelastic structure functions of hadrons nonperturbatively in an inverse power expansion of the light-front energy of the probe in the framework of light-front QCD. We arrive at the general expressions for various structure functions as the Fourier transform of matrix elements of different components of bilocal vector and axial vector currents on the light-front in a straightforward manner. The complexities of the structure functions are mainly carried by the multi-parton wave functions of the hadrons, while, the bilocal currents have a dynamically dependent yet simple structure on the light-front in this description. We also present a novel analysis of the power corrections based on light-front power counting which resolves some ambiguities of the conventional twist analysis in deep inelastic processes. Further, the factorization theorem and the scale evolution of the structure functions are presented in this formalism by using old-fashioned light-front time-ordered perturbation theory with multi-parton wave functions. Nonperturbative QCD dynamics underlying the structure functions can be explored in the same framework. Once the nonperturbative multi-parton wave functions are known from low-energy light-front QCD, a complete description of deep inelastic structure functions can be realized.Comment: Revtex, 30 pages and no figur

Transverse Spin in QCD. I. Canonical Structure

In this work we initiate a systematic investigation of the spin of a composite system in an arbitrary reference frame in QCD. After a brief review of the difficulties one encounters in equal-time quantization, we turn to light-front quantization. We show that, in spite of the complexities, light-front field theory offers a unique opportunity to address the issue of relativistic spin operators in an arbitrary reference frame since boost is kinematical in this formulation. Utilizing this symmetry, we show how to introduce transverse spin operators for massless particles in an arbitrary reference frame in analogy with those for massive particles. Starting from the manifestly gauge invariant, symmetric energy momentum tensor in QCD, we derive expressions for the interaction dependent transverse spin operators ${\cal J}^i$ ($i=1,2$) which are responsible for the helicity flip of the nucleon in light-front quantization. In order to construct ${\cal J}^i$, first we derive expressions for the transverse rotation operators $F^i$. In the gauge $A^+=0$, we eliminate the constrained variables. In the completely gauge fixed sector, in terms of the dynamical variables, we show that one can decompose ${\cal J}^i= {\cal J}^i_I + {\cal J}^i_{II} + {\cal J}^i_{III}$ where only ${\cal J}^i_{I}$ has explicit coordinate ($x^-, x^i$) dependence in its integrand. The operators ${\cal J}^i_{II}$ and ${\cal J}^i_{III}$ arise from the fermionic and bosonic parts respectively of the gauge invariant energy momentum tensor. We discuss the implications of our results.Comment: 22 pages, revte

On the Matrix Element of the Transverse Component of Bilocal Vector Current and its Parton Interpretation

In this paper we study the matrix element of the transverse component of the bilocal vector current in the context of deep inelastic scattering. BJL limit of high energy amplitudes together with light-front current algebra imply the same parton interpretation for its matrix element as that of the plus component. On the other hand, the transverse component depends explicitly on the gluon field operator in QCD, appears as "twist three" and hence its matrix element has no manifest parton interpretation. In this paper we perform calculations in light-front time-ordering perturbative QCD for a dressed quark target to order $\alpha_s$ and demonstrate that the matrix element of the transverse component of the bilocal vector current has the same parton interpretation as that of the plus component.Comment: 7 pages, REVTE

Open Boundary Condition, Wilson Flow and the Scalar Glueball Mass

A major problem with periodic boundary condition on the gauge fields used in current lattice gauge theory simulations is the trapping of topological charge in a particular sector as the continuum limit is approached. To overcome this problem open boundary condition in the temporal direction has been proposed recently. One may ask whether open boundary condition can reproduce the observables calculated with periodic boundary condition. In this work we find that the extracted lowest glueball mass using open and periodic boundary conditions at the same lattice volume and lattice spacing agree for the range of lattice scales explored in the range 3 GeV $\leq$ 1/a $\leq$ 5 GeV. The problem of trapping is overcome to a large extent with open boundary and we are able to extract the glueball mass at even larger lattice scale $\approx$ 5.7 GeV. To smoothen the gauge fields and to reduce the cut off artifacts recently proposed Wilson flow is used. The extracted glueball mass shows remarkable insensitivity to the lattice spacings in the range explored in this work, 3 GeV $\leq$ 1/a $\leq$ 5.7 GeV.Comment: Replacement agrees with published versio