Valence quark distribution of the pion inside a medium with finite baryon density: A Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model approach

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the valence quark distribution of the pion is affected by a finite baryon density environment using a light-cone quark model combined with the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model, providing insights into in-medium pion structure.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach combining the light-cone quark model with the NJL model to study in-medium pion properties at finite baryon density.

Findings

In-medium electromagnetic form factors agree with experimental and lattice QCD data.

Parton distribution functions evolve consistently with QCD predictions.

Mellin moments show significant medium modifications.

Abstract

We calculate the in-medium valence quark distribution of the pion immersed in a finite baryon density using the light-cone quark model. The medium-modified pion properties are obtained by using the constituent quark mass-dependent light cone wave functions. To obtain the constituent quark masses at finite baryon density, we employ the two-flavor Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model. We primarily focus on the in-medium electromagnetic form factor, distribution amplitude, and the parton distribution function of the pion. The parton distribution functions are also evolved from the model scale to a perturbative scale using next to leading order Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi evolution equations. Furthermore, our calculated form factors are compared with available experimental measurements and lattice quantum chromodynamics studies. We also examine the Mellin moments derived from our parton distribution functions in comparison with existing extractions and theoretical model predictions.