Probing hadronization with flavor correlations of leading particles in jets

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new method to study nonperturbative hadronization by analyzing flavor correlations of leading particles in jets at the EIC, using a charge correlation ratio observable to test and improve QCD models.

Contribution

It introduces a novel charge correlation ratio observable $r_c$ for flavor correlation analysis in jets, and demonstrates its feasibility for hadronization studies at the EIC using Monte Carlo simulations.

Findings

$r_c$ effectively distinguishes charge correlations in jets.

Feasibility of measuring $r_c$ at the EIC is demonstrated.

Potential to improve understanding of nonperturbative QCD dynamics.

Abstract

We study nonperturbative flavor correlations between pairs of leading and next-to-leading charged hadrons within jets at the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). We introduce a charge correlation ratio observable $r_c$ that distinguishes same- and opposite-sign charged pairs. Using Monte Carlo simulations with different event generators, $r_c$ is examined as a function of various kinematic variables for different combinations of hadron species, and the feasibility of such measurements at the EIC is demonstrated. The precision hadronization study we propose will provide new tests of hadronization models and hopefully lead to improved quantitative, and perhaps eventually analytic, understanding of nonperturbative QCD dynamics.