Exploiting the idea that the fast partons of an energetic projectile can be treated as sources of color radiation interpreted as wee partons, it is shown that the recently observed property of extended limiting fragmentation implies a scaling law for the rapidity distribution of fast partons. This leads to a picture of a self-similar process where, for fixed total rapidity Y, the sources merge with probability varying as 1/y.
Quark and gluon parton dihadron fragmentation functions and their evolution are studied in the process of e+e- annihilation. We provide definitions of such dihadron fragmentation functions in terms of parton matrix elements and derive the momentum sum rules and their connection to single hadron fragmentation functions. We parameterize results from the Lund Monte Carlo model JETSET as the initial conditions for the parton dihadron fragmentation functions at the scale Q_0^2=2 GeV^2. The evolution equations for the quark and gluon fragmentation functions are solved numerically and the results at …
We develop the notion of shower partons and determine their distributions in jets in the framework of the recombination model. The shower parton distributions obtained render a good fit of the fragmentation functions. We then illustrate the usefulness of the distributions in a problem where a jet is produced in the environment of thermal partons as in heavy-ion collisions. The recombination of shower and thermal partons is shown to be more important than fragmentation. Application to the study of two-particle correlation in a jet is also carried out.
A new form of fragmentation function is presented here, motivated by earlier non-extensive studies of jet fragmentation. We parametrized our Tsallis-like function on pion spectra and compared it to the most common fragmentation function parametrizations. It is shown that the new form is in agreement with earlier parametrizations, furthermore, its scale evolution overlap better with the experimental data.
We argue that the emission of hadrons with transverse momentum up to about 5 GeV/c in central relativistic heavy ion collisions is dominated by recombination, rather than fragmentation of partons. This mechanism provides a natural explanation for the observed constant baryon-to-meson ratio of about one and the apparent lack of a nuclear suppression of the baryon yield in this momentum range. Fragmentation becomes dominant at higher transverse momentum, but the transition point is delayed by the energy loss of fast partons in dense matter.
We propose to model hadronization of parton showers in QCD jets through a hybrid approach involving quark recombination and string fragmentation. This is achieved by allowing gluons at the end of the perturbative shower evolution to undergo a non-perturbative splitting into quark and antiquark pairs, then applying a Monte-Carlo version of instantaneous quark recombination, and finally subjecting remnant quarks (those which have not found a recombination partner) to Lund string fragmentation. When applied to parton showers from the PYTHIA Monte Carlo event generator, the final hadron spectra fr…
Modified quark fragmentation functions in deeply inelastic $eA$ collisions and their QCD evolution equations are derived for the first time in the framework of multiple parton scattering. Induced radiation gives rise to additional terms in the evolution equations and thus softens the modified quark fragmentation functions. The results in the next-leading-twist depend on both diagonal and off-diagonal twist-four parton distributions and the combination of which clearly manifests the LPM interference pattern. The predicted modification depends quadratically on the nuclear size ($A^{2/3}$). Gener…
In this paper we discuss the systematics of quarkonium production at the LHC. In particular, we focus on the necessity to sum logs of the form log(Q/p_perp) and log(p_perp/m_Q). We show that the former contributions are power suppressed, while the latter, whose contribution in fragmentation is well known, also arise in the short distance (i.e., non-fragmentation) production mechanisms. Though these contributions are suppressed by powers of m_Q/p_perp, they can be enhanced by inverse powers of v, the relative velocity between heavy quarks in the quarkonium. In the limit p_perp >> m_Q short dist…
We study the unpolarized fragmentation functions and parton distribution functions of the pion employing the nonlocal chiral quark model. This model manifests the nonlocal interactions between the quarks and pseudoscalar mesons in the light-cone coordinate. It turns out that the nonlocal interactions result in substantial differences in comparison to typical models with only local couplings. We also perform the high Q^2-evolution for our results calculated at a relatively low renormalization scale Q^2 ~ 0.36 GeV}^2 to be compared with the experimental data. Our results after evolution are in q…
The first order correction to the parton fragmentation functions in a thermal medium is derived in the leading logarithmic approximation in the framework of thermal field theory. The medium-modified evolution equations of the parton fragmentation functions are also derived. It is shown that all infrared divergences, both linear and logarithmic, in the real processes are canceled among themselves and by corresponding virtual corrections. The evolution of the quark number and the energy loss (or gain) induced by the thermal medium are investigated.
Multiple parton scattering and induced parton energy loss is studied in deeply inelastic scattering (DIS) off nuclei. The effect of multiple scattering of a highly off-shell quark and the induced parton energy loss is expressed in terms of the modification to the quark fragmentation functions. We derive such modified quark fragmentation functions and their QCD evolution equations in DIS using generalized factorization of higher twist parton distributions. We consider double-hard, hard-soft parton scattering as well as their interferences in the same framework. The final result, which depends o…
We discuss the inclusive high-pT charged-particle production in proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The experimental data are compared to the NLO perturbative QCD calculations employing various sets of parton-to-hadron fragmentation functions. Most of the theoretical predictions are found to disastrously overpredict the measured cross sections, even if the scale variations and PDF errors are accounted for. The problem appears to arise from the presently too hard gluon-to-hadron fragmentation functions.
Double parton fragmentation is a process in which a pair of partons produced in the short-distance process hadronize into the final state hadron. This process is important for quarkonium production when the transverse momentum is much greater than the quark mass. Resummation of logarithms of the ratio of these two scales requires the evolution equations for double parton fragmentation functions (DPFF). In this paper we complete the one-loop evaluation of the anomalous dimensions for the DPFF. We also consider possible mixing between the DPFF and single parton power suppressed gluon fragmentati…
The concept of parton fragmentation in QCD hard scattering phenomenology as well as NLO pQCD analysis of fragmentation functions are outlined. Hadroproduction of pions of a few GeV pT is discussed through the example of recent measurements at \sqrt{S_{RHIC}}=200 GeV.
Multiple scattering, induced radiative energy loss and modified fragmentation functions of a heavy quark in nuclear matter are studied within the framework of generalized factorization in perturbative QCD. Modified heavy quark fragmentation functions and energy loss are derived in detail with illustration of the mass dependencies of the Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal interference effects and heavy quark energy loss. Due to the quark mass dependence of the gluon formation time, the nuclear size dependencies of nuclear modification of the heavy quark fragmentation function and heavy quark energy loss…
The formulas directly connecting parton distribution functions (PDFs) and fragmentation functions (FFs) at the next to leading order (NLO) QCD with the same quantities at the leading order (LO) are derived. These formulas are universal, i.e. have the same form for all kinds of PDFs and FFs, differing only in the respective splitting functions entering there.
A modified version of the CKKW matrix element merging algorithm is presented, suitable for use in an angular-ordered parton shower, using truncated showers and forced splittings. The algorithm is implemented in the Herwig++ Monte Carlo event generator for the benchmark process e+e- -> hadrons. Results are presented at parton and hadron levels, demonstrating a smooth merging between the matrix elements and parton shower and an improved description of LEP data.
It is the central goal of our studies to describe parton fragmentation in the hot and dense medium of a quark gluon plasma (QGP). Under the assumption that the medium is not static and homogeneous, knowledge about the temporal evolution of the processes involved can be of essential importance. Therefore, parton fragmentation has been studied with a Monte-Carlo algorithm that approximates the DGLAP-evolution of fragmentation functions via a set of parton cascades. The presented work consists mainly of implementations of this kind of algorithm and the application of a simple approximation, which…
We present a new, comprehensive global analysis of parton-to-pion fragmentation functions at next-to-leading order accuracy in QCD. The obtained results are based on the latest experimental information on single-inclusive pion production in electron-positron annihilation, lepton-nucleon deep-inelastic scattering, and proton-proton collisions. An excellent description of all data sets is achieved, and the remaining uncertainties in parton-to-pion fragmentation functions are estimated based on the Hessian method. Extensive comparisons to the results from our previous global analysis are performe…
In the literature it is assumed that the parton to hadron fragmentation function cannot be studied by using the lattice QCD method because of the sum over the (unobserved) outgoing hadronic states. However, in this paper we find that since the hadron formation from the partons can be studied by using the lattice QCD method, the parton to hadron fragmentation function can be studied by using the lattice QCD method by using the LSZ reduction formula for the partonic processes.
We analyze the energy scale dependence of fragmentation functions from $e^+$-$e^-$ collisions using conventional momentum measures $x_p$ and $ξ_p$ and rapidity $y$. We find that replotting fragmentation functions on a normalized rapidity variable results in a compact form precisely represented by the beta distribution, its two parameters varying slowly and simply with parton energy scale $Q$. The resulting parameterization enables extrapolation of fragmentation functions to low $Q$ in order to describe fragment distributions at low transverse momentum $p_t$ in heavy ion collisions at RHIC.
New fragmentation functions (FFs) are extracted from a NLO QCD fit to the preliminary COMPASS data on pion and kaon multiplicities. It is shown that the new kaon FFs are very different from those of De Florian at al. (DSS) and Hirai et al. (HKNS). The sensitivity of the extracted polarized PDFs to the new FFs is discussed.
We revisit the global QCD analysis of parton-to-kaon fragmentation functions at next-to-leading order accuracy using the latest experimental information on single-inclusive kaon production in electron-positron annihilation, lepton-nucleon deep-inelastic scattering, and proton-proton collisions. An excellent description of all data sets is achieved, and the remaining uncertainties in parton-to-kaon fragmentation functions are estimated and discussed based on the Hessian method. Extensive comparisons to the results from our previous global analysis are made.
The Large Hadron Collider witnesses the highest ever production cross-section of double parton scattering processes. The production of a Z-boson along with two jets from double parton scattering provides a unique opportunity to explore the kinematics of double parton scattering processes and their dependence on the scale of the second interaction. The experimental measurement of this process is largely contaminated by Z + jets production from single parton scattering. In this paper, fragmentation properties of a jet are explored to check their sensitivity towards double parton scattering. The …
Higher order calculations are necessary to predict and describe measurements in high energy collider physics. In recent years multiple approaches to combine multiple next-to-leading (NLO) order corrections with parton showers had been presented. We present on recent developments and future perspective. We highlight similarities and ambiguities in the procedure of achieving a multijet merging at NLO.
The field of fragmentation functions of light quarks and gluons is reviewed. In addition to integrated fragmentation functions, attention is paid to the dependence of fragmentation functions on transverse momenta and on polarization degrees of freedom. Higher-twist and di-hadron fragmentation functions are considered as well. Moreover, the review covers both theoretical and experimental developments in single-inclusive hadron production in electron-positron annihilation, deep-inelastic lepton-nucleon scattering, and proton-proton collisions.
We investigate the energy loss and equilibration of highly energetic particles/jets inside a QCD medium. Based on an effective kinetic description of QCD, including $2\leftrightarrow 2$ elastic processes, radiative $1\leftrightarrow 2$ processes, as well as the back-reaction of jet constituents onto the thermal medium, we describe the in-medium evolution of jets from the energy scale of the jet $\sim E$ all the way to the medium scale $\sim T $. While elastic processes and back-reaction are important to describe the equilibration of soft fragments of the jet, we find that the energy loss is do…
We perform a comprehensive new Monte Carlo analysis of high-energy lepton-lepton, lepton-hadron and hadron-hadron scattering data to simultaneously determine parton distribution functions (PDFs) in the proton and parton to hadron fragmentation functions (FFs). The analysis includes all available semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering and single-inclusive $e^+ e^-$ annihilation data for pions, kaons and unidentified charged hadrons, which allows the flavor dependence of the fragmentation functions to be constrained. Employing a new multi-step fitting strategy and more flexible parametrization…
A model-independent analysis of collinear three-parton correlation functions for fragmentation is performed. By investigating their support properties it is shown, in particular, that the so-called partonic pole matrix elements vanish. This sheds new light on the understanding of transverse single spin asymmetries in various hard semi-inclusive reactions. Moreover, it gives additional strong evidence for the universality of transverse-momentum-dependent fragmentation functions.
We propose an extension of matrix element plus parton shower merging at tree level to preserve inclusive cross sections obtained from the merged and showered sample. Implementing this constraint generates approximate next-to-leading order (NLO) contributions similar to the LoopSim approach. We then show how full NLO, or in principle even higher order, corrections can be added consistently, including constraints on inclusive cross sections to account for yet missing parton shower accuracy at higher logarithmic order. We also show how NLO accuracy below the merging scale can be obtained.
QCD predictions for final states with multiple jets in hadron collisions make use of multi-jet merging methods, which allow one to combine consistently the contributions from hard scattering matrix elements with different parton multiplicities and parton showers. In this article I consider a multi-jet merging method that has recently been proposed to take into account the effects of transverse momentum dependent (TMD) evolution and parton shower, and present studies focusing on the application of this method to jets associated with Drell-Yan (DY) production in the region of high masses.
We discuss hadron production in heavy ion collisions at RHIC. We argue that hadrons at transverse momenta P_T < 5 GeV are formed by recombination of partons from the dense parton phase created in central collisions at RHIC. We provide a theoretical description of the recombination process for P_T > 2 GeV. Below P_T = 2 GeV our results smoothly match a purely statistical description. At high transverse momentum hadron production is well described in the language of perturbative QCD by the fragmentation of partons. We give numerical results for a variety of hadron spectra, ratios and nuclear sup…
The effect of medium-induced parton energy loss on jet fragmentation is studied in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. It is shown that an effective jet fragmentation function can be extracted from the inclusive $p_T$ spectrum of charged particles in the opposite direction of a tagged direct photon with a fixed transverse energy. We study the modification of the effective jet fragmentation function due to parton energy loss in AA as compared to pp collisions, including $E_T$ smearing from initial state radiations for the photon-tagged jets. The effective fragmentation function at $z=p_T/E_T^γ\si…
Parametrizations of fragmentation functions (FFs) from $e^+$-$e^-$ and p-p collisions are combined with a parton spectrum model in a pQCD folding integral to produce minimum-bias {\em fragment distributions}. A model of in-medium FF modification is included. Calculated fragment distributions are compared with {\em hard components} from p-p and Au-Au $p_t$ spectra. Data are well described by pQCD over a large kinematic region for a range of Au-Au centralities.
We review recent progress in the study of parton propagation, interaction and fragmentation in both cold and hot strongly interacting matter. Experimental highlights on high-energy hadron production in deep inelastic lepton-nucleus scattering, proton-nucleus and heavy-ion collisions, as well as Drell-Yan processes in hadron-nucleus collisions are presented. The existing theoretical frameworks for describing the in-medium interaction of energetic partons and the space-time evolution of their fragmentation into hadrons are discussed and confronted to experimental data. We conclude with a list of…
We perform the first global QCD analysis of polarized inclusive and semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering and single-inclusive $e^+e^-$ annihilation data, fitting simultaneously the parton distribution and fragmentation functions using the iterative Monte Carlo method. Without imposing SU(3) symmetry relations, we find the strange polarization to be very small, consistent with zero for both inclusive and semi-inclusive data, which provides a resolution to the strange quark polarization puzzle. The combined analysis also allows the direct extraction from data of the isovector and octet axial…
We extract the pion fragmentation functions and their uncertainties from a judicious choice of e+e- and semi-inclusive DIS data. These are used to study the error propagation in the extraction of polarized parton densities from semi-inclusive DIS asymmetries. We conclude that the uncertainties on polarized PDs have been underestimated in the past.
We revisit the CKKW-L method for merging tree-level matrix elements with parton showers, and amend it with an add/subtract scheme to minimise dependencies on the merging scale. The scheme is constructed to, as far as possible, recover the unitary nature of the underlying parton shower, so that the inclusive cross section is retained for each jet multiplicity separately.
We consider the longitudinal polarization of Lambda and Lambda-bar produced in the current fragmentation region of polarized deep inelastic scattering. We show how the various cross sections can be used to test the underlying parton dynamics, and how one can extract information about certain parton densities which are poorly known, in particular the polarized strange density sum Delta-s(x) + Delta-s-bar(x), and about fragmentation functions which are totally unknown and which are difficult to access by other means. We show also how one can obtain information concerning the intriguing question …
The p_T-spectra for direct J/psi and psi' in hadroproduction at Tevatron energy have been calculated based on NRQCD formalism and fragmentation approximation in the collinear parton model and k_T-factorization approach. We have described the CDF data and obtained a good agreement between the predictions obtained in the parton model and k_T-factorization approach. We performed the calculations using the relevant leading order in alpha_s hard amplitudes and the equal values of the color-octet long-distance matrix elements for the both models.
In this short note, I introduce to essential conceptual features and main building blocks of matrix element merging algorithms, operating on fixed order calculations both at leading order and next-to-leading order. The intention is purely pedagogical, i.e. to familiarize the reader with the essential basic concepts in a concise way, thus serving as an introduction to beginners and other interested readers. Unitarization is discussed briefly. The tutorial is highly biased towards transverse momentum ordered parton showers, and in particular towards merging schemes as they are implemented in the…
In this document, we present the global QCD analysis of parton-to-kaon fragmentation functions at next-to-leading order accuracy using the latest experimental information on single-inclusive kaon production in electron-positron annihilation, lepton-nucleon deep-inelastic scattering, and proton-proton collisions. An extended analysis of this work can be found in Ref.[1].
We present a Monte-Carlo approach to prompt-photon production, where photons and QCD partons are treated democratically. The photon fragmentation function is modelled by an interleaved QCD+QED parton shower. This known technique is improved by including higher-order real-emission matrix elements. To this end, we extend a recently proposed algorithm for merging matrix elements and truncated parton showers. We exemplify the quality of the Monte-Carlo predictions by comparing them to measurements of the photon fragmentation function at LEP and to measurements of prompt photon and diphoton product…
In this review, we discuss the results on the parton-to-pion fragmentation functions obtained in a combined NLO fit to data of single-inclusive hadron production in electron-positron annihilation, proton-proton collisions, and lepton-nucleon deep-inelastic scattering. A more complete discussion can be found in Ref. [1].
One of the main theoretical systematics in studies of final states with large jet multiplicities at high-energy hadron colliders is associated with the merging of QCD parton showers and hard-scattering matrix elements. We present a method to incorporate the physics of transverse momentum recoils due to initial-state shower evolution into multi-jet merging algorithms by using the concept of transverse momentum dependent (TMD) distributions and the associated parton branching. We investigate the dependence on the merging scale and illustrate the impact of the new method at the level of both excl…
The merging of matrix elements and parton showers is an established calculational tool for the description of multi-jet final states at hadron colliders. These methods have recently been promoted to next-to-leading order accuracy in the description of hard well separated jets. This talk introduces such a method and discusses its application to phenomenologically relevant signal and background processes. The systematic assessment of its theoretical uncertainty is a prime focus.
We present first observations of the transversity parton distribution based on an analysis of pion-pair production in deep inelastic scattering off transversely polarized targets. The extraction of transversity relies on the knowledge of dihadron fragmentation functions, which we take from electron-positron annihilation measurements. This is the first attempt to determine the transversity distribution in the framework of collinear factorization.
We propose the formulation of a dihadron fragmentation function in terms of parton matrix elements. Under the collinear factorization approximation and facilitated by the cut-vertex technique, the two hadron inclusive cross section at leading order (LO) in e+ e- annihilation is shown to factorize into a short distance parton cross section and the long distance dihadron fragmentation function. We also derive the DGLAP evolution equation of this function at leading log. The evolution equation for the non-singlet quark fragmentation function is solved numerically with a simple ansatz for the init…
We make a thorough comparison between different schemes of merging fixed-order tree-level matrix element generators with parton-shower models. We use the most basic benchmark of the O(alpha_S) correction to e+e- -> jets, where the simple kinematics allows us to study in detail the transition between the matrix-element and parton-shower regions. We find that the CKKW-based schemes give a reasonably smooth transition between these regions, although problems may occur if the parton shower used is not ordered in transverse momentum. However, the so-called Pseudo-Shower and MLM schemes turn out to …
Analyzing the single inclusive annihilation spectrum of charged hadrons in $e^+e^-$ collisions, I confront the hadronization hypothesis of local parton-hadron duality with a systematic resummation of the dependence on the small energy fraction. This resummation is based on the reciprocity between time-like and space-like splitting processes in $4-2ε$-dimensions, which I extend to resum all the soft terms of the cross-section for inclusive jet production. Under the local-parton-hadron duality hypothesis, the resulting distribution of jets essentially determines the spectrum of hadrons as the je…
Medium modification of jet fragmentation function due to multiple scattering and induced gluon radiation leads directly to jet quenching or suppression of leading particle distribution from jet fragmentation. One can extract an effective total parton energy loss which can be related to the total transverse momentum broadening. For an expanding medium, both are shown to be sensitive to the initial parton density and formation time. Therefore, one can extract the initial parton density and formation time from simultaneous measurements of parton energy loss and transverse momentum broadening. Imp…
Hard components of $p_t$ spectra can be identified with minimum-bias parton fragmentation in nuclear collisions. Minimum-bias fragment distributions (FDs) can be calculated by folding a power-law parton energy spectrum with parametrized fragmentation functions (FFs) derived from $e^+$-$e^-$ and p-p collisions. Alterations to FFs due to parton "energy loss" or "medium modification" in Au-Au collisions are modeled by adjusting FF parametrizations consistent with rescaling QCD splitting functions. The parton spectrum is constrained by comparison with a p-p $p_t$ spectrum hard component. The refer…
Quarkonium production at a given large p_T is dominated by parton fragmentation: a parton which is produced with transverse momentum p_T/z fragments into a quarkonium state which carries a fraction z of the parton momentum. Since parton production cross sections fall steeply with p_T, high z fragmentation is favored. However, quantum number constraints may require the emission of gluons in the fragmentation process, and this softens the z dependence of the fragmentation function. We discuss the possibility that higher- order processes may enhance the large z part of fragmentation functions and…
The hydrodynamic (hydro) model has been extensively applied to heavy ion data from the relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC). Results are interpreted to conclude that a dense QCD medium nearly opaque to most partons, a strongly-coupled quark-gluon plasma (sQGP), is formed in more-central Au-Au collisions. The sQGP may have a very small viscosity (``perfect liquid''). However, other analysis methods provide contradictory evidence. Two-component analysis of single-particle hadron spectra reveals a spectrum hard component consistent with a parton fragment distribution described by pQCD which can…
We report on some recent developments concerning parton-to-photon fragmentation functions. We briefly summarize the main theoretical concepts on which the currently available extractions of these fragmentation functions rely: evolution and the vector meson dominance model. We present comparisons of the available sets. We argue that the single-inclusive photon production process $pp\toγX$ possesses only little sensitivity to the fragmentation contribution. Instead, the semi-inclusive process $pp\to(\text{jet}\,γ)X$, for which the photon is observed inside a fully reconstructed jet and is part o…
We perform the first simultaneous extraction of unpolarized parton distributions and fragmentation functions from a Monte Carlo analysis of inclusive and semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering, Drell-Yan lepton-pair production, and single-inclusive $e^+ e^-$ annihilation data. We use data resampling techniques to thoroughly explore the Bayesian posterior distribution of the extracted functions, and use $k$-means clustering on the parameter samples to identify the configurations that give the best description across all reactions. Inclusion of the semi-inclusive data reveals a strong suppress…
The inclusive spectra of charged particles measured at high transverse momenta ($p_T\gtrsim$2GeV/c) in proton-proton and proton-antiproton collisions in the range of center-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s}=200-7000$GeV are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations using seven recent sets of parton-to-hadron fragmentation functions (FFs). Accounting for the uncertainties in the scale choices and in the parton distribution functions, we find that most of the theoretical predictions tend to overpredict the measured LHC and Tevatron cross sections by up to a factor of two. We ide…
Nuclear modification factors of single hadrons and dihadrons at large transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) in high-energy heavy-ion collisions are studied in a next-to-leading-order (NLO) perturbative QCD parton model. Parton fragmentation functions (FFs) in $A+A$ collisions are modified due to jet energy loss which is proportional to the jet transport coefficient $\hat{q}$ characterizing the interaction between the parton jet and the produced medium. By confronting 6 current sets of NLO parton FFs for large $p_{\rm T}$ hadron productions, we extract $\hat{q}$ quantitatively via a global fit to d…
Within the framework of generalized factorization of higher-twist contributions to semi-inclusive cross section of deeply inelastic scattering off a large nucleus, multiple parton scattering leads to an effective medium-modified fragmentation function and the corresponding medium-modified DGLAP evolution equations. We extend the study to include gluon multiple scattering and induced quark-antiquark production via gluon fusion . We numerically solve these medium-modified DGLAP (mDGLAP) evolution equations and study the scale ($Q^2$), energy ($E$), length ($L$) and jet transport parameter ($\hat…
A short review of problems with parton distribution functions in nucleons, non-polarized and polarized, is given. The main part is devoted to the transversity distribution its possible measurement and its first experimental probe via spin asymmetry in semi-inclusive DIS. It is argued that the proton transversity distribution could be successfully measured in future DIS experiments with {\it longitudinally} polarized target.
Minimum-bias fragment distributions (FDs) are calculated by folding a power-law parton energy spectrum with parametrized fragmentation functions (FFs) derived from $e^+$-$e^-$ and p-p collisions. Changes in FFs due to parton "energy loss" or "medium modification" are modeled by altering FF parametrizations consistent with rescaling QCD splitting functions. The common parton spectrum is constrained by comparison with a p-p $p_t$ spectrum hard component. In-vacuum and in-medium FDs are compared with spectrum hard components from 200 GeV Au-Au collisions for several centralities. The reference fo…
