Improved determination of strange distribution function from the global analysis using BHPS model

TL;DR

This paper investigates the impact of an intrinsic strange quark component on the global analysis of parton distribution functions, using the BHPS model to refine the understanding of strange quark distributions in the nucleon.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analysis of intrinsic strange quark contributions within the BHPS model framework, providing new limits on their probability and effects on the strange-to-light sea-quark ratio.

Findings

Higher probability of intrinsic strange component tolerated with evolved distributions.

Increased ratio of strange-to-light sea-quark densities when including intrinsic strange component.

Quantitative limits on intrinsic strange probability at different confidence levels.

Abstract

We study the impact of intrinsic strange (IS) component of nucleon sea on the global analysis of parton distribution functions (PDFs) considering a wide range of experimental data. To this aim, we consider two scenarios on the basis of BHPS model results for the IS distribution. In the first scenario, we apply the results presented through the BHPS model and in the second scenario we use its evolved distributions. For each scenarios, we present the limit of the IS probability $ {\cal P}_5^{s\bar{s}} $ for the standard tolerance criteria $ \Delta\chi^2=1 $ and $ 18.112 $ at $ 1\sigma $ and $ 4\sigma $ levels. Our results show that the experimental data can tolerate an IS component with a greater probability $ {\cal P}_5^{s\bar{s}} $ if one employs the second scenario. We obtain $ {\cal P}_5^{s\bar{s}}\approx 0.01 $ and $ {\cal P}_5^{s\bar{s}}\approx 0.025 $ for $ \Delta\chi^2=1 $ and $18.112$, respectively, at the $ 4\sigma $ level. We also calculate the ratio of strange-to-light sea-quark densities $r_s$ in the proton both including and excluding the IS component. Our results show that one can obtain a higher value for the ratio $r_s$ if the IS component is included.