Inclusive production of a pair of hadrons separated by a large interval of rapidity in proton collisions

Abstract

We consider within QCD collinear factorization the inclusive process p + p → h ₁ + h ₂ + X, where the pair of identified hadrons, h ₁ , h ₂, having large transverse momenta is produced in high-energy proton-proton collisions. In particular, we concentrate on the kinematics where the two identified hadrons in the final state are separated by a large interval of rapidity Δy. In this case the (calculable) hard part of the reaction receives large higher order corrections ∼ $\alpha_s^n\Delta {y^n}$. We provide a theoretical input for the resummation of such contributions with next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy (NLA) in the BFKL approach. Specifically, we calculate in NLA the vertex (impact-factor) for the inclusive production of the identified hadron. This process has much in common with the widely discussed Mueller-Navelet jets production and can be also used to access the BFKL dynamics at proton colliders. Another application of the obtained identified-hadron vertex could be the NLA BFKL description of inclusive forward hadron production in DIS.