120892641
Soft Partons in {QCD}
The role of partons with momenta much less than the c.m. energy is studied in general n-particle inclusive annihilation cross sections. The cancellation of non-factorizing logarithms associated with these partons is demonstrated in physical gauges. This is seen to be equivalent to cancellation of a set of infrared divergences in the massless limit. Connections with cut vertices and more complicated processes are discussed.
7579254
Parton distribution functions suitable for Monte-Carlo event generators
In the usual factorization theorems, which give predictions only for inclusive cross sections, there is considerable freedom in the choice of the scheme to define the parton distribution functions. These theorems do not directly apply to Monte-Carlo event generators, and more general factorization theorems which give predictions for fully exclusive cross sections are needed. It has been shown that appropriate parton distribution functions are uniquely defined by the showering algorithm. In this paper, we present results of calculations of the Monte-Carlo parton distribution functions in terms of the commonly used parton distribution functions. At small x the differences are large, which demonstrates the importance of using the correct parton distribution functions in an event generator rather than parton distribution functions. We present some simple approximations that enable an understanding of the sizes of the results to be obtained.
119047717
The Status of Perturbative QCD
Progress in quantum chromodynamics in the past year is reviewed in these specific areas: proof of factorization for hadron-hadron collisions, fast calculation of higher order graphs, perturbative Monte Carlo calculations for hadron-hadron scattering, applicability of perturbative methods to heavy quark production, and understanding of the small-x problem. 22 refs. (LEW)
28842411
Transversity distribution does not contribute to hard exclusive electroproduction of mesons
We show that in hard exclusive electroproduction, ep{yields}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. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
2620123
Double pomeron jet cross sections
Abstract We treat hadron-hadron collisions where the final state is kinematically of the kind associated with double-pomeron-exchange (DPE) and has large transverse momentum jets. We show that in addition to the conventional factorized (FDPE) contribution, there is a nonfactorized (NDPE) contribution which has no pomeron beam jet. Within a simple model we compute DPE-two-jet total and differential cross sections at Tevatron energy scales, and show that the NDPE contribution is dominant.
17338636
Light-cone Variables, Rapidity and All That
I give a pedagogical summary of the methods of light-cone variables, rapidity and pseudo-rapidity. Then I show how these methods are useful in analyzing diffractive high-energy collisions.
1954406
Hubble Space Telescope Survey of Interstellar High-Velocity Si III
We describe an ultraviolet spectroscopic survey of interstellar high-velocity cloud (HVC) absorption in the strong ?1206.500 line of Si III using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. Because the Si III line is 4-5 times stronger than O VI ?1031.926, it provides a sensitive probe of ionized gas down to column densities N Si III 5 ? 1011 cm?2 at Si III equivalent width 10 m?. We detect high-velocity Si III over 91% ? 4% of the sky (53 of 58 sight lines); 59% of the HVCs show negative local standard of rest velocities. The mean HVC column density per sight line is log N Si III = 13.19 ? 0.45, while the mean for all 90 velocity components is 12.92 ? 0.46. Lower limits due to Si III line saturation are included in this average, so the actual mean/median values are even higher. The Si III appears to trace an extensive ionized component of Galactic halo gas at temperatures 104.0-4.5 K indicative of a cooling flow. Photoionization models suggest that typical Si III absorbers with 12.5 < log N Si III < 13.5 have total hydrogen column densities N H 1018-1019 cm?2 for gas of hydrogen density n H 0.1 cm?3 and 10% solar metallicity. With typical neutral fractions N H I /N H 0.01, these HVCs may elude even long-duration 21 cm observations at Arecibo, the EVLA, and other radio facilities. However, if Si III is associated with higher density gas, n H ? 1 cm?3, the corresponding neutral hydrogen could be visible in deep observations. This reservoir of ionized gas may contain 108 M ? and produce a mass infall rate of 1 M ? yr?1 to the Galactic disk.
8084858
HIGHLY IONIZED HIGH-VELOCITY CLOUDS: HOT INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM OR GALACTIC HALO?
We use spectroscopic data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) to study the wide range of ionization states of the "highly ionized high-velocity clouds" (HVCs). Studied extensively in O VI absorption, these clouds are usually assumed to be infalling gas in the Galactic halo at distances less than 50 kpc. An alternative model attributes the O VI (and O VII X-ray absorption) to cosmological structures of low-density, shock-heated intergalactic gas, distributed over 1-3 Mpc surrounding the Milky Way. The latter interpretation is unlikely, owing to the enormous required mass of gas (4 × 1012 M☉). Our detection, in 9 of 12 sight lines, of low-ionization stages (C II/III/IV; Si II/III/IV) at similar high velocities as O VI requires gas densities far above that (nH ≈ 5 × 10-6 cm-3) associated with the warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM). These HVCs are probably cooling, multiphase gas in the Galactic halo, bow shocks, and interfaces between clouds falling through a hot, rotating gaseous halo. The velocity segregation of these HVCs in Galactic coordinates is consistent with a pattern in which infalling clouds reflect the sense of Galactic rotation, with peculiar velocities superposed.
14712521
A LARGE RESERVOIR OF IONIZED GAS IN THE GALACTIC HALO: IONIZED SILICON IN HIGH-VELOCITY AND INTERMEDIATE-VELOCITY CLOUDS
The low Galactic halo is enveloped by a sheath of ionized, low-metallicity gas, which can provide a substantial (1 M ☉ yr–1) cooling inflow to replenish star formation in the disk. Using absorption spectra from the Hubble Space Telescope and Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer toward 37 active galactic nuclei at high latitude, we detect widespread interstellar Si III λ1206.50 absorption: 61 high-velocity clouds (HVCs) along 30 sight lines and 22 intermediate-velocity clouds (IVCs) along 20 sight lines. We find a segregation of redshifted and blueshifted absorbers across the Galactic rotation axis at l = 180°, consistent with a lag in the rotation velocity above the Galactic plane. The HVC sky coverage is large (81% ± 5% for 30 out of 37 directions) with Si III optical depth typically 4-5 times that of O VI λ1031.926. The mean HVC column density per sight line, log NSi III = 13.42 ± 0.21, corresponds to total column density N HII (6 × 1018 cm–2)(Z Si/0.2Z ☉)–1 of ionized low-metallicity gas, similar to that inferred in O VI. This reservoir could total 108 M ☉ and produce a mass infall rate ~1 M ☉ yr–1. By modeling Si II, Si III, Si IV, and H I in a subset of absorbers, we constrain the mean photoionization parameter in the low halo, log U = –3.0+0.3 –0.4, approximately 10 times lower than observed in the low-redshift intergalactic medium. The metallicities in some HVCs, derived from [Si II/H I], are 10%-30% solar, whereas values found from all three silicon ions are lower in the pure-photoionization models. These formally lower matallicities are highly uncertain, since some of the higher ions may be collisionally ionized. The HVC and IVC metallicities may be compared with the median photometric metallicity, [Fe/H] = –1.46 ± 0.30, for ~200,000 halo F/G stars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
16974063
Metallicity and Ionization in High-Velocity Cloud Complex C
We analyze HST and FUSE ultraviolet spectroscopic data for 11 sight lines passing through the infalling high-velocity cloud (HVC) Complex C. These sight lines pass through regions with H I column densities in the range N = 1018.1-1020.1 cm-2. From [O I/H I] abundances, we find that Complex C metallicities range from 0.09 to 0.29 Z☉, with a column density weighted mean of 0.13 Z☉. Nitrogen (N I) is underabundant by factors of (0.01-0.07)(N/H)☉, significantly less than oxygen relative to solar abundances. This pattern suggests nucleosynthetic enrichment by Type II SNe, consistent with an origin in the Galactic fountain or infalling gas produced in winds from Local Group galaxies. The range of metallicity and its possible (2 σ) dependence on N could indicate some mixing of primordial material with enriched gas from the Milky Way, but the mixing mechanism is unclear. We also investigate the significant highly ionized component of Complex C, detected in C IV, Si IV, and O VI, but not in N V. High-ion column density ratios show little variance and are consistent with shock ionization or ionization at interfaces between Complex C and a hotter surrounding medium. Evidence for the former mechanism is seen in the Mrk 876 line profiles, where the offset in line centroids between low and high ions suggests a decelerating bow shock.
14287564
Kinematics of Diffuse Ionized Gas Halos: A Ballistic Model of Halo Rotation
To better understand diffuse ionized gas (DIG) kinematics and halo rotation in spiral galaxies, we have developed a model in which clouds are ejected from the disk and follow ballistic trajectories through the halo. The behavior of clouds in this model has been investigated thoroughly through a parameter space search and a study of individual cloud orbits. Synthetic velocity profiles have been generated in z (height above the plane) from the models for the purpose of comparing with velocity centroid data from previously obtained long-slit spectra of the edge-on spirals NGC 891 (one slit) and NGC 5775 (two slits). In each case, a purely ballistic model is insufficient to explain observed DIG kinematics. In the case of NGC 891, the observed vertical velocity gradient is not as steep as predicted by the model, possibly suggesting a source of coupling between disk and halo rotation or an outwardly directed pressure gradient. The ballistic model more successfully explains DIG kinematics observed in NGC 5775; however, it cannot explain the observed trend of high-z gas velocities nearly reaching the systemic velocity. Such behavior can be attributed to either an inwardly directed pressure gradient or a possible tidal interaction with its companion, NGC 5774. In addition, the ballistic model predicts that clouds move radially outward as they cycle through the halo. The mass and energy fluxes estimated from the model suggest that this radially outward gas migration leads to a redistribution of material that may significantly affect the evolution of the interstellar medium.