Renormalization, Wilson lines, and transverse-momentum dependent parton distribution functions

Abstract

We perform an analysis of transverse-momentum dependent parton distribution functions, making use of their renormalization properties in terms of their leading-order anomalous dimensions. We show that the appropriate Wilson line in the light-cone gauge, associated with such quantities, is a cusped one. To cancel the ensuing cusp anomalous dimension, we include in the definition of the transverse-momentum dependent parton distribution functions an additional soft counter term (gauge link) along that contour. We demonstrate that this is tantamount to an ``intrinsic (Coulomb) phase'', which accumulates the full gauge history of the color-charged particle.

4 pages, 3 figures embedded. v2: derivation of transverse gauge link added including one more figure. Text expanded to 6 pages. Four references added. Conclusions unchanged. Matches version to appear in PRD

References in corpus (2)

• Fully Unintegrated Parton Correlation Functions and Factorization in Lowest Order Hard Scattering
• Endpoint singularities in unintegrated parton distributions

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Matches and mismatches in the descriptions of semi-inclusive processes at low and high transverse momentum
• Wilson lines and transverse-momentum dependent parton distribution functions: A renormalization-group analysis
• Angular correlations in multi-jet final states from kt-dependent parton showers
• Next-to-Leading Order Hard Scattering Using Fully Unintegrated Parton Distribution Functions
• Gauge invariance and renormalization-group effects in transverse-momentum dependent parton distribution functions