Charm Production: Pole Mass or Running Mass?

TL;DR

This paper examines the impact of using pole mass versus running mass in charm quark PDF fits, proposing that pole mass can reduce uncertainties and improve predictions for LHC processes.

Contribution

It demonstrates that employing the pole mass in charm PDF fits can decrease uncertainties and enhance the reliability of predictions for high-energy collider experiments.

Findings

Pole mass reduces charm mass uncertainties in PDFs.

Using pole mass improves the reliability of LHC process predictions.

Empirical charm PDFs can be effectively determined with pole mass approach.

Abstract

We consider the role of the charm mass in PDF fits, and in particular the reliability of recent determinations of the MSbar running mass from fits to inclusive charm production data. We explain how the use of the pole mass, with a charm PDF determined empirically, can reduce PDF uncertainties from charm mass effects, and thereby lead to more reliable predictions for hard processes at the LHC.