Towards the Test of Saturation Physics Beyond Leading Logarithm

TL;DR

This paper presents the first next-to-leading order numerical analysis of forward hadron production in pA collisions within the small-x saturation formalism, providing a more precise test of saturation physics beyond leading order.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive NLO analysis incorporating all partonic channels and reduces theoretical uncertainties, advancing the understanding of saturation effects beyond leading logarithm.

Findings

Good agreement with RHIC dAu data at NLO

Predictions for pPb collisions at LHC energies

Reduced renormalization scale dependence

Abstract

We present results from the first next-to-leading order (NLO) numerical analysis of forward hadron production in pA collisions in the small-x saturation formalism. Using parton distributions and fragmentation functions at NLO, as well as the dipole amplitude from the solution to the Balitsky-Kovchegov equation with running coupling, together with the NLO corrections to the hard coefficients, we obtain a good description of the available RHIC data in dAu collisions. We also comment on the results in the large p_T region beyond the saturation scale. Furthermore, we make predictions for forward hadron production in pPb collisions at the LHC. This analysis not only incorporates the important NLO corrections for all partonic channels, but also reduces the renormalization scale dependence and therefore helps to significantly reduce the theoretical uncertainties. It therefore provides a precise test of saturation physics beyond the leading logarithmic approximation.