Low- and high-mass components of the photon distribution functions

Abstract

The structure of the general solution of the inhomogeneous evolution equations allows the separation of a photon structure function into perturbative (“anomalous”) and non-perturbative contributions. The former part is fully calculable, and can be identified with the high-mass contributions to the dispersion integral in the photon mass. Properly normalized “state” distributions can be defined, where the$\gamma \to q\bar q$ splitting probability is factored out. These state distributions are shown to be useful in the description of the hadronic event properties, and necessary for a proper eikonalization of jet cross sections. Convenient parametrizations are provided both for the state and for the full anomalous parton distributions. The non-perturbative parts of the parton distribution functions of the photon are identified with the low-mass contributions to the dispersion integral. Their normalizations, as well as the value of the scaleQ ₀ at which the perturbative parts vanish, are fixed by approximating the low-mass contributions by a discrete, finite sum of vector mesons. The shapes of these hadronic distributions are fitted to the available data onF ^γ₂ (x, Q ²). Parametrizations are provided forQ ₀=0.6 GeV andQ ₀=2 GeV, both in the DIS and the$\overline {MS}$ factorization schemes. The full parametrizations are extended towards virtual photons. Finally, the often-used “FKP-plus-TPC/2γ” solution forF ^γ₂ (x, Q ²) is commented upon.