QED corrections to the Altarelli-Parisi splitting functions

TL;DR

This paper extends the Altarelli-Parisi splitting functions to include higher-order QED corrections, enabling more precise combined QCD-QED evolution of parton distributions at NLO accuracy.

Contribution

It provides explicit expressions for splitting kernels up to order ααₛ, advancing the precision of parton distribution function analysis.

Findings

Derived explicit QED-QCD splitting kernels at order ααₛ

Enhanced the theoretical framework for combined QCD-QED evolution

Facilitated full NLO precision in parton distribution analysis

Abstract

We discuss the combined effect of QED and QCD corrections to the evolution of parton distributions. We extend the available knowledge of the Altarelli-Parisi splitting functions to one order higher in QED, and provide explicit expressions for the splitting kernels up to ${\cal O}(\alpha \, \alpha_{\mathrm{S}})$. The results presented in this article allow to perform a parton distribution function analysis reaching full NLO QCD-QED combined precision.