Global Analysis of Fragmentation Functions for Eta Mesons

TL;DR

This paper performs a comprehensive global analysis of eta meson fragmentation functions at NLO accuracy, integrating diverse experimental data to produce a reliable parametrization useful for future spin asymmetry studies.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed NLO fragmentation functions for eta mesons based on a global data analysis, including uncertainty estimation using the Lagrange multiplier method.

Findings

Good agreement with all analyzed data sets

Reliable parametrization of eta fragmentation functions

Uncertainty estimates for the fragmentation functions

Abstract

Fragmentation functions for eta mesons are extracted at next-to-leading order accuracy of QCD in a global analysis of data taken in electron-positron annihilation and proton-proton scattering experiments. The obtained parametrization is in good agreement with all data sets analyzed and can be utilized, for instance, in future studies of double-spin asymmetries for single-inclusive eta production. The Lagrange multiplier technique is used to estimate the uncertainties of the fragmentation functions and to assess the role of the different data sets in constraining them.