Scalar propagator in a background gluon field beyond the eikonal approximation

TL;DR

This paper extends the scalar propagator in a background gluon field beyond the eikonal approximation using worldline formalism, capturing longitudinal momentum transfer and providing a basis for corrections to high-energy gluon interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive scalar propagator formulation beyond the eikonal approximation, including all gauge components and $x^-$ dependence, with systematic eikonal expansion.

Findings

Derived a scalar propagator including longitudinal momentum transfer.

Connected the result to the BDMPS-Z formalism in the high-energy limit.

Established a framework for studying corrections to gluon radiation spectra.

Abstract

We investigate the path integral representation of the scalar propagator in a background gluon field, extending beyond the eikonal approximation by considering all gauge field components and incorporating its $x^-$ dependence. Utilizing the worldline formalism, we integrate the Schwinger proper time to express the scalar propagator in light-cone coordinates, facilitating a direct comparison with known results in the literature. The derived propagator captures the change of longitudinal momentum of the projectile within the medium. In the high-energy limit, our result simplifies to the effective gluon propagator employed in the BDMPS-Z formalism. Hence, we propose that our outcome serves as a foundational point for investigating corrections to the BDMPS-Z spectrum arising from the longitudinal momentum transfer of the radiated gluon with the medium, as well as for studying collisional energy loss phenomena. Lastly, by employing an expansion around the classical saddle point solution, we systematically derive an eikonal expansion in inverse powers of the boost parameter, encompassing corrections related to longitudinal momentum transfer and interactions of the projectile with the transverse component of the field.