Global Analysis of Nuclear PDFs

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive global analysis of nuclear parton distribution functions (PDFs) by incorporating diverse experimental data, demonstrating consistency and universality of nuclear modifications across various processes.

Contribution

It introduces a new global QCD analysis framework that includes neutrino scattering and pion production data, extending previous analyses and confirming the universality of nuclear PDFs.

Findings

Universal nuclear modification factors successfully describe all included data sets.

Inclusion of neutrino and pion data enhances the robustness of nuclear PDF extraction.

No significant tensions found among different experimental data sets.

Abstract

We present a new global QCD analysis of nuclear parton distribution functions. In addition to the most commonly analyzed data sets for deep inelastic scattering of charged leptons off nuclei and Drell Yan di-lepton production, we include also measurements for neutrino-nuclei scattering as well as inclusive pion production in deuteron-gold collisions. The emerging picture is one of consistency, where universal nuclear modification factors for each parton flavor reproduce the main features of all data without any significant tension among the different sets.