Energy Correlators Resolving Proton Spin

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gao, Jun, Li, Hai Tao, Zhu, Yu Jiao
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866917503802802176
author Gao, Jun
Li, Hai Tao
Zhu, Yu Jiao
author_facet Gao, Jun
Li, Hai Tao
Zhu, Yu Jiao
contents We investigate the partonic origin of the proton longitudinal spin using spin-dependent energy correlators measured in lepton-hadron collisions with longitudinally polarized proton beams. These observables encode angular correlations in energy flow and are sensitive to the spin-momentum structure of confined partons. Using soft-collinear effective theory, we analyze the correlation patterns in both nearly back-to-back and forward limits, which establishes a direct correspondence with longitudinally polarized transverse momentum-dependent distributions (TMDs) and nucleon energy correlators (NECs). The TMDs and NECs allow consistent matching onto hard radiation regions and provide a comprehensive description of the transition from perturbative parton branching to nonperturbative confinement. Using renormalization group evolution, we obtain joint next-to-next-to-next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic quantitative predictions for spin-dependent energy correlation patterns in the current and target fragmentation regions. The framework provides new theoretical insight into how the internal motion and spin of partons contribute to the formation of the proton longitudinal spin and offers an experimental paradigm for probing the interplay between color confinement and spin dynamics at the forthcoming Electron-Ion Collider.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_17596
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Energy Correlators Resolving Proton Spin
Gao, Jun
Li, Hai Tao
Zhu, Yu Jiao
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
We investigate the partonic origin of the proton longitudinal spin using spin-dependent energy correlators measured in lepton-hadron collisions with longitudinally polarized proton beams. These observables encode angular correlations in energy flow and are sensitive to the spin-momentum structure of confined partons. Using soft-collinear effective theory, we analyze the correlation patterns in both nearly back-to-back and forward limits, which establishes a direct correspondence with longitudinally polarized transverse momentum-dependent distributions (TMDs) and nucleon energy correlators (NECs). The TMDs and NECs allow consistent matching onto hard radiation regions and provide a comprehensive description of the transition from perturbative parton branching to nonperturbative confinement. Using renormalization group evolution, we obtain joint next-to-next-to-next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic quantitative predictions for spin-dependent energy correlation patterns in the current and target fragmentation regions. The framework provides new theoretical insight into how the internal motion and spin of partons contribute to the formation of the proton longitudinal spin and offers an experimental paradigm for probing the interplay between color confinement and spin dynamics at the forthcoming Electron-Ion Collider.
title Energy Correlators Resolving Proton Spin
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.17596