Precision measurements of heavy-flavor hadroproduction at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have the ability to probe heavy-flavor parton distribution functions (PDFs) in the proton. Sensitivity of inclusive $B^\pm$ meson production cross section measurements at LHCb 13 TeV to the bottom-quark PDF is illustrated by using theory predictions obtained with a the S-ACOT-MPS general mass variable flavor number (GMVFN) scheme within the QCD factorization formula. This approach can easily be extended to other heavy-flavor production processes, such as $Z$ boson production in association with a bottom- or a charm-jet. The inclusion of such measurements will represent an important improvement for future global QCD analyses that aim at reducing uncertainties of heavy-flavor PDFs, provided that a consistent general mass treatment in $pp$ collisions is used.
This work is related to the activities of the Snowmass topic groups EF03, and EF06.
A short review of form factors, parton distribution functions and generalized parton distributions is given. A possible application of generalized parton distributions in the weak sector is discussed.
Understanding flavor dependence of the parton energy loss is one of key tasks of the jet quenching physics. In these proceedings we provide a summary of recent works on a quantification of the flavor dependence of parton energy loss along with a summary and discussion of a subset of contributions presented at the Hard Probes 2016 conference which are related to the flavor aspects of parton energy loss.
It is argued that while the scale dependence of the parton distributions in the fixed flavor factorization scheme is governed by three active flavors, the scale dependence of the running coupling should nevertheless be better governed by a variable number of active flavors.
We compare `fixed flavor number scheme' (FFNS) and `variable flavor number scheme' (VFNS) parton model predictions at high energy colliders. Based on our recent LO- and NLO-FFNS dynamical parton distributions, we generate radiatively two sets of VFNS parton distributions where also the heavy quark flavors h=c,b,t are considered as massless partons within the nucleon. By studying the role of these distributions in the production of heavy particles (h\bar{h}, t\bar{b}, hW^{+-}, Higgs--bosons, etc.) at high energy ep, p\bar{p} and pp colliders, we show that the VFNS predictions are compatible wit…
A study is made of charm and bottom flavor matching conditions on parton densities. Starting from an $\bar{\rm MS}$ three-flavor density set, where the scale $μ< m_c$, and using the recently derived two-loop matching conditions, we provide a new set of four-flavor parton densities where $ m_c \le μ< m_b$ and five-flavor densities where $μ\ge m_b$. The effect of the next-to-next-to-leading order matching conditions on the evolution equations is important for scales just above the transition regions. This includes the small $x$ and small $Q^2$ domain studied by the H1 and ZEUS experiments at HER…
Recent experimental data on semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from the HERMES collaboration allow us to discuss for the first time the flavor dependence of unpolarized transverse-momentum dependent distribution and fragmentation functions. We find convincing indications that favored fragmentation functions into pions have smaller average transverse momentum than unfavored functions and fragmentation functions into kaons. We find weaker indications of flavor dependence in the distribution functions.
We evaluate the differential cross section for the electroproduction of lepton pairs off a polarized nucleon target in the generalized Bjorken region to leading power accuracy in hard momentum. We discuss the importance of this process for phenomenology of generalized parton distributions. A special attention is given to the sensitivity of physical observables, i.e., diverse asymmetries, to their dependence on scaling variables that allows to map directly the functional two-dimensional surface of generalized parton distributions.
Spin and transverse momentum dependent parton distributions - Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) - are at the interface between the QCD structure of the hadrons and observable quantities. The GPDs are linear superpositions within helicity amplitudes. The amplitudes are probed in high energy leptoproduction processes through angular dependent cross sections and polarization asymmetries. Phenomenological extraction of the amplitudes and the distributions is a challenging task. We present observables that connect particularly with the chiral odd quark-nucleon helicity amplitudes for Deeply V…
The parton content of the nucleon is explored within a meson-cloud model developed to derive light-cone wave functions for the physical nucleon. The model is here applied to study electromagnetic form factors, distribution amplitudes and nucleon-to-meson transition distribution amplitudes.
Based on our recent NNLO dynamical parton distributions as obtained in the `fixed flavor number scheme', we generate radiatively parton distributions in the `variable flavor number scheme' where also the heavy quark flavors (c,b,t) become massless partons within the nucleon. Only within this latter factorization scheme NNLO calculations are feasible at present, since the required partonic subprocesses are only available in the approximation of massless initial-state partons. The NNLO predictions for gauge boson production are typically larger (by more than 1 sigma) than the NLO ones, and rates…
In the large momentum transfer limit, generalized parton distributions can be calculated through a QCD factorization theorem which involves perturbatively-calculable hard kernels and light-cone parton distribution amplitudes of hadrons. We illustrate this through the $H_q(x,ξ,t)$ distribution for the pion and proton, presenting the hard kernels at leading order. As a result, experimental data on the generalized parton distributions in this regime can be used to determine the functional form of the parton distribution amplitudes which has thus far been quite challenging to obtain. Our result ca…
We propose the study of unpolarized transverse momentum dependent gluon parton distributions as well as the effect of linearly polarized gluons on transverse momentum and rapidity distributions of $J/ψ$ and $Υ$ production within the framework of transverse momentum dependent factorization employing color evaporation model (CEM) in unpolarized proton-proton collision. We estimate the transverse momentum and rapidity distributions of $J/ψ$ and $Υ$ at LHCb, RHIC and AFTER energies using TMD evolution formalism.
The feasibility of an experimental determination of the parton distributions of virtual photons at high energy $ep$ colliders is studied in the context of the DESY-HERA collider. Recently proposed parton densities of virtual photons are utilized to evaluate the appropriate production processes and their relevant kinematical regions. It is demonstrated that high $E_T$ jet production with $E_T\,\simeq 5-7\, {\rm{GeV}}$ and $b\bar{b}$ production can probe the parton distributions of virtual photons up to virtualities of a few ${\rm{GeV}}^2$. A useful leading order parametrization of our proposed …
We give an interpretation of the $u$ and $d$ quarks contributions to the nucleon electromagnetic form factors for values of the four-momentum transfer in the multi-GeV region where flavor separated data have been recently made available. The data show, in particular, a suppression of $d$ quarks with respect to $u$ quarks at large momentum transfer. %and constant ratios of the flavor dependent Pauli to Dirac form factors ratios. This trend can be explained using a reggeized diquark model calculation of generalized parton distributions, thus providing a correlation between momentum and coordinat…
In order to examine polarized strange quark distribution, semi-inclusive $D/\Dbar$ production in neutrino deep inelastic scattering is studied including ${\cal O}(α_s)$ corrections. Cross section and spin asymmetry are calculated by using various parametrizations of polarized parton distribution functions. It is found that $\Dbar$ production is promising to directly extract the polarized strange sea.
Recently, the ZEUS collaboration has reported on several remarkable properties of events with a large rapidity gap in deep inelastic scattering. We suggest that the mechanism underlying these events is the scattering of electrons off lumps of wee partons inside the proton. Based on an effective lagrangian approach the $Q^2$-, $x$- and $W$-distributions are evaluated. For sufficiently small invariant mass of the detected hadronic system, the mechanism implies leading twist behaviour. The $x$- and $W$-distributions are determined by the Lipatov exponent which governs the behaviour of parton dens…
This is a written version of a series of lectures aimed at graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in particle theory/string theory/particle experiment familiar with the basics of the Standard Model. We begin with an overview of flavor physics and its implications for new physics. We emphasize the "new physics flavor puzzle". Then, we give four specific examples of flavor measurements and the lessons that have been (or can be) drawn from them: (i) Charm physics: lessons for supersymmetry from the upper bound on $Δm_D$. (ii) Bottom physics: model independent lessons on the KM mechanism and o…
Recent experimental measurements of the Gottfried Sum Rule, and pp and pD Drell-Yan processes, suggest significant violation of flavor symmetry in the proton sea. This interpretation rests on the assumption of parton charge symmetry. Our model calculations suggest charge symmetry violation [CSV] for parton valence distributions of a few percent. Precision measurements of structure functions in muon and neutrino experiments allow us to set rather stringent experimental limits on CSV in certain kinematic regions. In another region, these experiments suggest substantial CSV effects. We suggest ex…
Hadron pair production gamma* gamma -> h hbar in the region where the c.m. energy is much smaller than the photon virtuality can be described in a factorized form, as the convolution of a partonic handbag diagram and generalized distribution amplitudes which are new non-perturbative functions describing the exclusive fragmentation of a quark-antiquark pair into two hadrons. Scaling behavior and a selection rule on photon helicity are signatures of this mechanism. The case where h is a pion is emphasized.
We analyze the time-like processes gamma gamma -> B Bbar and p p-bar -> gamma M at large Mandelstam variables within the handbag approach for which the process amplitudes factorize in hard partonic subprocesses and annihilation form factor. The latter represent moments of baryon-antibaryon generalized parton distributions. Symmetry relations restrict the number of independent annihilation form factors for the ground state baryons drastically. We determine these form factors from the present BELLE data on gamma gamma -> B Bbar with the help of simplifying assumptions. The knowledge of these for…
Polarization asymmetries in photoproduction of high transverse momentum mesons are a flavor sensitive way to measure the polarized quark distributions. We calculate the expected asymmetries in several models, and find that the asymmetries are significant and also significantly different from model to model. Suitable data may come as a by-product of deep inelastic experiments to measure $g_1$ or from dedicated experiments.
A new code for the scale evolution of modified-minimal-subtraction-scheme parton densities is described. Through next-to-leading order the program uses exact splitting functions. In next-to-next-to-leading order approximate splitting functions are used. For efficiency the program includes analytical results for the evaluation of the weights required for the integrations over the longitudinal momentum fractions of the partons. It also incorporates the operator matrix elements required for the matching conditions across heavy flavor thresholds in higher order perturbation theory. The more effici…
We present calculations of several pp scattering cross sections with potential applications at the LHC. Significantly large rates for momentum fraction, x, as low as 10^-7 are obtained, allowing for possible extraction of quark and gluon densities in the proton and nuclei down to these small x values provided a detector with good acceptance at maximal rapidities is used.
The flavor structure in unified theory is probed with superparticle mass spectrum observed in future particle experiments. A key ingredient is the generation dependence of scalar mass non-degeneracy. The observed non-degeneracy in low-energy regime is shown to provide a direct imprint of flavor structure in high-energy fundamental theory. The implication from flavor-violating rare process is also discussed.
The systematic treatment of heavy quark mass effects in DIS in current CTEQ global analysis is summarized. Applications of this treatment to the comparison between theory and experimental data on DIS charm production are described. The possibility of intrinsic charm in the nucleon is studied. The issue of determining the charm mass in global analysis is discussed.
Polarized deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data are analyzed in leading and next-to-leading order of QCD within the common `standard' scenario of polarized parton distributions with a flavor-symmetric light sea (antiquark) distribution $δ\bar{q}$, and a completely SU(3)$_f$ broken `valence' scenario with totally flavor-asymmetric light sea densities $(δ\bar{u}\neqδ\bar{d}\neqδ\bar{s})$. The latter flavor-broken light sea distributions are modelled with the help of a Pauli-blocking ansatz at the low radiative/dynamical input scales of $μ_{\rm LO(NLO)}^2=0.26$ (0.40) GeV$^2$ which complies with p…
Using a physically motivated parameterization based on the reggeized diquark model we perform a flavor separation of the chiral-odd generalized parton distributions obtained from both $π^0$ and $η$ exclusive electroproduction. In our approach we exploit a connection between the chiral-even and chiral-odd reduced helicity amplitudes using Parity transformations that are relevant for a class of models that includes two-component models. We compare our results for $η$ production to the previously obtained $π^0$ results, and we make predictions for the transverse single spin asymmetry components w…
We present a detailed phenomenological study of the associated production of a prompt photon and a heavy-quark jet (charm or bottom) in proton-nucleus (p-A) and nucleus-nucleus (A-A) collisions. The dominant contribution to the cross-section comes from the gluon--heavy-quark (gQ) initiated subprocess, making this process very sensitive to the gluon and the heavy quark nuclear parton densities. We show that the future p-A data to be collected at the LHC should allow one to disentangle the various nPDF sets currently available. In heavy-ion collisions, the photon transverse momentum can be used …
The scaling property of large-$p_\perp$ hadron suppression, $R_{\rm{AA}}(p_\perp)$, measured in heavy ion collisions at RHIC and LHC leads to the determination of the average parton energy loss $\langle ε\rangle$ in quark-gluon plasma produced in a variety of collision systems and centrality classes. Relating $\langle ε\rangle$ to the particle multiplicity and collision geometry allows for probing the dependence of parton energy loss on the path-length $L$. We find that $\langle ε\rangle \propto L^β$ with $β=1.02^{+0.09}_{-0.06}$, consistent with the pQCD expectation of parton energy loss in a…
Due to the very large mass of the top-quark, probing the flavor changing top-charm-scalar vertex is clearly very important. Fortunately the largeness of $m_t$ endows a unique signature to the resulting reaction i.e., $e^+e^-\to t\bar c (\bar t c)$ that should be helpful in identification of such events. A two Higgs doublet model, without natural flavor conservation, is used to give an illustrative estimate for the rate for these reactions.
We discuss the prospects of observing double parton scattering (DPS) processes with purely leptonic final states at the LHC. We first study same-sign W pair production, which is particularly suited for studying momentum and valence number conservation effects, followed by discussions on double Drell-Yan and production of J/psi pairs. The effects of initial state and intrinsic transverse momentum smearing on pair-wise transverse momentum balance characteristic to DPS are studied quantitatively. We also present a new technique, based on rapidity differences, to extract the DPS component from a d…
We present a next-to-leading order calculation of jet production in gamma^*gamma collisions from e+e- scattering in a region where the virtuality Q^2 of the probing virtual photon is small compared to the transverse jet energy. The calculation is based on the phase-space slicing method. The initial state singularity of the virtual photon is factorized into the structure function of the virtual photon, using the MS-bar factorization scheme for virtual photons. Numerical results are presented for LEP2 conditions. The perturbative stability of the pure direct virtual photon approach is compared t…
We analyze the possibility of probing the supersymmetric flavor structure through the constraints of the K and B meson systems and those of the electric dipole moments. We show that combining these constraints would favor SUSY models with large flavor mixing either in LR(RL) or LL but with a very small RR and intermediate/large tan beta. Large LR mixing requires specific patterns for trilinear A-terms, while LL mixing seems quite natural and easier to obtain. We present an example for this class of models and show how it can accommodate the current CP asymmetries experimental results.
This paper describes salient features of new sets of parton distributions obtained by the CTEQ Collaboration based on a comprehensive QCD global analysis of all available data. The accuracy of the new data on deep inelastic scattering structure functions obtained by the very high statistics NMC and CCFR experiments provides unprecedented sensitivity to the flavor dependence of the sea-quark distributions. In addition to much better determination of the small x dependence of all parton distributions, we found: (i) the strange quark distribution is much softer than the non-strange sea quarks and…
In this article, we propose a novel channel for phenomenological studies of the double-parton scattering (DPS) based upon associated production of charm $c\bar{c}$ and bottom $b\bar{b}$ quark pairs in well-separated rapidity intervals in ultra-peripheral high-energy proton-nucleus collisions. This process provides a direct access to the double-gluon distribution in the proton at small-$x$ and enables one to test the factorised DPS pocket formula. We have made the corresponding theoretical predictions for the DPS contribution to this process at typical LHC energies and beyond and we compute the…
An intuitive definition of the partonic flavor of a jet in quantum chromodynamics is often only well-defined in the deep ultraviolet, where the strong force becomes a free theory and a jet consists of a single parton. However, measurements are performed in the infrared, where a jet consists of numerous particles and requires an algorithmic procedure to define their phase space boundaries. To connect these two regimes, we introduce a novel and simple partonic jet flavor definition in the infrared. We define the jet flavor to be the net flavor of the partons that lie exactly along the direction …
We examine relation between neutrino oscillation parameters and prediction of lepton flavor violation, in light of deviations from tri-bimaximal mixing. Our study shows that upcoming experimental searches for lepton flavor violation process can provide useful implications for neutrino mass spectrum and mixing angles. With simple structure of heavy right-handed neutrino and supersymmetry breaking sectors, the discovery of tau \to mu gamma decay determines neutrino mass hierarchy if large (order 0.1) reactor angle is established.
The subprocess $gg \to t\bar{c}+\bar{t}c$ in the two-Higgs-doublet model with flavor-changing scalar couplings is examined at the one loop level. With perturbative QCD factorization theorem, the corresponding cross sections for hadron-hadron collisions are computed numerically. The results are applicable to the whole mass range of the weakly coupled Higgs bosons. In case we could efficiently exclude the severe backgrounds of the $t\bar{c}(\bar{t}c)$ production signal, probing the flavor-changing top-charm-scalar vertex at hadron colliders would be very promising and accessible experimentally.
We present results for Higgs boson pair production with variations of the trilinear Higgs boson self-coupling at next-to-leading order (NLO) in QCD including the full top quark mass dependence. Differential results at 14 TeV are presented, and we discuss the implications of anomalous trilinear couplings as well as differences between the PYTHIA 8.2 and HERWIG 7.1 parton showers in combination with POWHEG. The implementation of the NLO QCD calculation with variable Higgs boson self-coupling is made publicly available in the POWHEG-BOX-V2 Monte Carlo framework. A simple method for using the new …
We examine the subprocess $γγ\to t\bar{c}+\bar{t}c$ at electron-positron colliders in the two-Higgs-doublet model with flavor-changing scalar couplings, where all the one-loop contribuions are considered, and the results are applicable to the whole mass range of the weakly coupled Higgs bosons. Because of the heavy top quark mass, this process is important in probing the flavor-changing top-charm-scalar vertex and could be detectable at the Next Linear Collider, if the values of the parameters are favorable. The results show that this process is more promising than the direct $e^{+} e^{-}$ pro…
The analysis of deeply virtual meson production is extended to neutrino-production of the pseudo-Goldstone mesons (pions, kaons, eta-mesons) on nucleons, with the flavor content of the recoil baryon either remaining intact, or changing to a hyperon from the SU(3) octet. We rely on the SU(3) relations and express all the cross-sections in terms of the proton generalized parton distributions (GPDs). The corresponding amplitudes are calculated at the leading twist level and in the leading order in α_{s}, using a phenomenological parametrization of GPDs. We provide a computational code, which can …
$SU(2)_L$-invariance links charged dilepton $\bar q\,q^\prime\,\ell^+\,\ell^-$ and dineutrino $\bar q\, q^\prime\, \barν\,ν$ couplings. This connection can be established using the Standard Model Effective Field Theory framework, and allows to perform complementary experimental tests of lepton universality and charged lepton flavor conservation with flavor-summed dineutrino observables. We present its phenomenological implications for the branching ratios of rare charm decays $c\to u\,ν\,\barν$ and rare $B$ decays $b\to s\,\barν\,ν$ decays.
The central role of soft nucleon matrix elements in reactions of high energy electrons or real photons with nucleons is emphasized. These soft matrix elements are described in terms of skewed parton distributions. Their connections to ordinary parton distributions, form factors, Compton scattering and hard meson electroproduction is discussed.
The Parton Branching (PB) Method describes the evolution of transverse momentum dependent parton densities (TMDs). The obtained TMDs can be used in Monte Carlo generators to describe physical observables. We give an overview of recent developments, in particular the new application of PB TMDs in Drell-Yan + jets production, the four-flavor and five-flavor schemes for heavy quark contributions, and the inclusion of QED corrections in the PB evolution.
We perform a new extraction for unpolarized and polarized parton distribution functions considering a flavor decompositions for sea quarks and applying very recent deep inelastic scattering (DIS) and semi inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) data in the fixed flavor number scheme (FFNS) framework. In the new symmetry breaking scenario the light quark and antiquark densities are extracted separately and new parametrization forms are determined for them. The heavy flavors contribution, including charm and bottom quarks, are also taken to be account for unpolarized distributions.
Supersymmetric theories with significant lepton flavor violation have $\tilde{e}$ and $\tildeμ$ nearly degenerate. In this case, pair production of $\tilde{e}^+ \tilde{e}^-$ and $\tildeμ^+ \tildeμ^-$ at LEPII and at the Next Linear Collider leads to the phenomenon of slepton oscillations, which is analogous to neutrino oscillations. The reach in $Δm^2$ and $\sin^2 2 θ$ gives a probe of lepton flavor violation which is significantly more powerful than the current bounds from rare processes, such as $μ\to eγ$. Polarizable $e^-$ beams and the $e^-e^-$ mode at the NLC are found to be promising opt…
The present theoretical status of spin-dependent parton densities Delta f^γ(x,Q^2) of circularly polarized photons is briefly reviewed. It is then demonstrated that measurements of the deep-inelastic spin asymmetry A_1^γ\simeq g_1^γ/F_1^γ and of di-jet rapidity distributions at a future linear e^+e^- collider appear to be particularly suited for a determination the spin-dependent photonic quark and gluon densities, respectively. Special emphasis is devoted to a comparison of the different sources of polarized photons at a linear collider: the equivalent photon approximation and backscattered l…
We study large-distance contributions to the nucleon parton densities in the transverse coordinate (impact parameter) representation based on generalized parton distributions (GPDs). Chiral dynamics generates a distinct component of the partonic structure, located at momentum fractions x ~< M_pi/M_N and transverse distances b ~ 1/M_pi. We analyze the phenomenological "pion cloud" model of the flavor asymmetry dbar(x) - ubar(x) and quantify what fraction of the calculated asymmetry results from the universal large-distance region. Our findings indicate that a two-component picture of the nucleo…
I consider variations in the definitions, at next-to-leading order (NLO) and at next-to-next-to leading order (NNLO), of a General-Mass Variable Flavour Number Scheme (GM-VFNS) for heavy flavour structure functions. I also define a new "optimal" scheme choice improving the smoothness of the transition from one flavour number to the next. I investigate the variation of the structure function for a fixed set of parton distribution functions (PDFs) and also the change in the PDFs when a new MSTW2008-type global fit to data is performed for each GM-VFNS. At NLO the parton distributions, and predic…
In the framework of minimal flavor violation (MFV), we discuss the decay properties of a supersymmetric scalar top (stop) in the presence of a light gravitino. Given a small mass difference between the lighter stop and lightest neutralino and an otherwise sufficiently decoupled spectrum, the stop may be long-lived and thus can provide support to MFV at hadron colliders. For a bino-like lightest neutralino, we apply bounds from searches in the gamma gamma plus missing transverse energy channel (ATLAS with 1 fb^-1 and D0 with 6.3 fb^-1) and give a 5 fb^-1 projection for the ATLAS search.
If massive neutrinos are Majorana particles, then the lepton number should be violated and neutrino-antineutrino oscillations will take place. In this talk, we present the properties of CP violation in neutrino-antineutrino oscillations with a non-unitary leptonic flavor mixing matrix, which naturally arises in the type-I seesaw model due to the mixing between light and heavy Majorana neutrinos. Taking into account current experimental bounds on the leptonic unitarity violation, we show that the CP asymmetries induced by the non-unitary mixing parameters can significantly deviate from those in…
We investigate a possible use of direct photon production in association with a heavy quark in $pA$ collisions at the large hadron collider to constrain the nuclear gluon parton distribution function. This process is sensitive to both, the nuclear heavy quark and gluon parton distribution functions and is a very promising candidate to help determine the gluon nuclear PDF which is still largely untested.
We discuss the formulation of the general two-Higgs doublet model type III, which incorporates flavor changing neutral scalar interactions (FCNSI) and CP violation from several sources. CP violation can arise either from Yukawa terms or from the Higgs potential, and it can explicit or spontaneous. We discuss the case that includes CP violation with Yukawa textures to control FCNSI and evaluate the CP asymmetry for the decay h-> c-b+ W-, which may allow to test the patterns of FCNSI and CP violation, that arises in these models.
In the littlest Higgs model with T-parity, the new interactions between the mirror leptons and the Standard Model leptons can induce some lepton flavor violation (LFV) processes at loop level. We study the possibility of the ILC to probe the LFV production processes $e^+e^-(γγ)\rightarrow l_{i}\bar{l}_{j}$. Our results show that the rates of $γγ\rightarrow l_{i}\bar{l}_{j}$ can reach 1 fb in optimal cases after reasonable kinematical cuts, which implies that these processes may be observed at the ILC.
Recent measurements of the Gottfried sum rule have focused attention on the possibility of substantial flavor symmetry breaking in the proton sea. This is confirmed by pp and pD Drell-Yan processes measured at FNAL. Theoretical models used to `prove' flavor symmetry breaking rely on the assumption of charge symmetric parton distributions. Substantial charge symmetry violation [CSV] could affect current tests of flavor symmetry. In this review we examine the possibility of CSV for parton distributions. We first give definitions for structure functions without making the usual assumption of char…
Exclusive electroproduction of a K or K* meson on the nucleon can give a Theta+ pentaquark in the final state. This reaction offers an opportunity to investigate the structure of pentaquark baryons at parton level. We discuss the generalized parton distributions for the N-->Theta+ transition and give the leading order amplitude for electroproduction in the Bjorken regime. Different production channels contain complementary information about the distribution of partons in a pentaquark compared with their distribution in the nucleon. Measurement of these processes may thus provide deeper insight…
We examine the implications of a recently proposed theory of fermion masses and mixings in which an $A_4$ family symmetry emerges from orbifold compactification. We analyse two variant schemes concerning their predictions for neutrino oscillations, neutrinoless double-beta decay and the golden quark-lepton unification mass relation. We find that upcoming experiments DUNE as well as LEGEND and nEXO offer good chances of exploring a substantial region of neutrino parameters.