The variable flavor number scheme to three-loop order

Abstract

We describe the variable flavor number scheme to three-loop order, which modifies the massless parton densities by single- and two-mass effects and introduces heavy-quark parton distribution functions for charm and bottom. A renormalization group analysis shows the validity of this picture at large scales $Q^2$, where it resembles the non-power-suppressed heavy-flavor corrections completely. We also provide numerical implementations of a series of charged and neutral current Wilson coefficients.

11 pages Latex + pictures