First global next-to-leading order determination of diffractive parton distribution functions and their uncertainties within the {\tt xFitter} framework

TL;DR

This paper presents the first comprehensive NLO QCD analysis of diffractive PDFs using the xFitter framework, incorporating latest data to reduce uncertainties and improve predictions for diffractive deep inelastic scattering.

Contribution

It is the first global NLO determination of diffractive PDFs within the xFitter framework, including high-precision data and heavy quark effects, with significant uncertainty reductions.

Findings

High-precision data significantly reduce PDF uncertainties.

Predictions align well with diffractive DIS data.

Inclusion of heavy quark contributions improves accuracy.

Abstract

We present {\tt GKG18-DPDFs}, a next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD analysis of diffractive parton distribution functions (diffractive PDFs) and their uncertainties. This is the first global set of diffractive PDFs determined within the {\tt xFitter} framework. This analysis is motivated by all available and most up-to-date data on inclusive diffractive deep inelastic scattering (diffractive DIS). Heavy quark contributions are considered within the framework of the Thorne-Roberts (TR) general mass variable flavor number scheme (GM-VFNS). We form a mutually consistent set of diffractive PDFs due to the inclusion of high-precision data from H1/ZEUS combined inclusive diffractive cross sections measurements. We study the impact of the H1/ZEUS combined data by producing a variety of determinations based on reduced data sets. We find that these data sets have a significant impact on the diffractive PDFs with some substantial reductions in uncertainties. The predictions based on the extracted diffractive PDFs are compared to the analyzed diffractive DIS data and with other determinations of the diffractive PDFs.