Single Inclusive Hadron Production in DIS at Small $x$: Next to Leading Order Corrections

TL;DR

This paper computes next-to-leading order corrections for single inclusive hadron production in deep inelastic scattering at small x, demonstrating how divergences are canceled or absorbed into evolution equations, refining theoretical predictions.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed calculation of NLO corrections in the Color Glass Condensate formalism for DIS at small x, clarifying divergence cancellations and evolution effects.

Findings

Divergent parts cancel or lead to evolution equations

Finite parts give NLO corrections to cross section

Results improve theoretical accuracy at small x

Abstract

We calculate the one-loop corrections to single inclusive hadron production in Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) at small $x$ in the forward rapidity region using the Color Glass Condensate formalism. We show that the divergent parts of the next to leading order (NLO) corrections either cancel among each other or lead to $x$ (rapidity) evolution of the leading order (LO) dipole cross section according to the JIMWLK evolution equation and DGLAP evolution of the parton-hadron fragmentation function. The remaining finite parts constitute the NLO ($\alpha_s$) corrections to the LO single inclusive hadron production cross section in DIS at small $x$.