The $bar{d} - \bar{u}$ asymmetry of the proton in a Pion Cloud Model approach

TL;DR

This paper models the proton's ar{d} - ar{u} asymmetry using a pion cloud approach based on gluon splitting and recombination, successfully matching recent experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a pion cloud model with nucleon fluctuations to nd elta states, providing a consistent explanation of the ar{d} - ar{u} asymmetry.

Findings

Model predictions align with E866/NuSea data.

Nucleon fluctuations to nd elta states suffice.

Gluon mechanisms underpin the asymmetry.

Abstract

We study the $bar{d} - \bar{u}$ asymmetry of the proton in a model approach in which hadronic fluctuations of the nucleon are generated through gluon splitting and recombination mechanisms. Within this framework, it is shown that the \ud asymmetry of the proton is consistently described by including only nucleon fluctuations to $|\pi N>$ and $|\pi \Delta>$ bound states. Predictions of the model closely agree with the recent experimental data of the E866/NuSea Collaboration.