Prompt photon hadroproduction at high energies in off-shell gluon-gluon fusion

TL;DR

This paper calculates prompt photon production in high-energy proton collisions using off-shell gluon fusion within the kt-factorization framework, comparing results with experimental data and providing predictions for LHC energies.

Contribution

It introduces a new calculation of the amplitude for prompt photon production via off-shell gluon fusion and applies it to high-energy hadron collisions within the kt-factorization approach.

Findings

Calculated total and differential cross sections agree with Tevatron data.

Provided predictions for prompt photon production at LHC energies.

Performed error analysis using different unintegrated gluon distributions.

Abstract

The amplitude for production of a single photon associated with quark pair in the fusion of two off-shell gluons is calculated. The matrix element found is applied to the inclusive prompt photon hadroproduction at high energies in the framework of kt-factorization QCD approach. The total and differential cross sections are calculated in both central and forward pseudo-rapidity regions. The conservative error analisys is performed. We used the unintegrated gluon distributions in a proton which were obtained from the full CCFM evolution equation as well as from the Kimber-Martin-Ryskin prescription. Theoretical results were compared with recent experimental data taken by the D0 and CDF collaborations at Fermilab Tevatron. Theoretical predictions for the LHC energies are given.