A quantitative study of two-loop splitting in double parton distributions

TL;DR

This paper investigates the impact of two-loop corrections on double parton distributions, showing that these corrections significantly enhance the accuracy and stability of predictions for double parton scattering, including effects of heavy quark masses.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of two-loop splitting kernels in double parton distributions, improving theoretical predictions for scattering processes.

Findings

Two-loop corrections substantially affect splitting kernels.

Inclusion of two-loop corrections improves prediction stability.

Heavy quark masses influence two-loop splitting kernels.

Abstract

Double parton distributions at small distances between the two partons are dominated by a mechanism in which the two observed partons originate from the splitting of a single parton. This contribution can be computed in terms of single-parton distributions and perturbative splitting kernels. We demonstrate that two-loop corrections to these kernels can have a substantial quantitative impact and considerably improve the stability of predictions for double parton scattering. We also consider the impact of heavy quark masses in the two-loop splitting kernels in an approximate manner.