Extraction of kaon partonic distribution functions from Drell-Yan and J/ψ production data

Abstract

We present an analysis to extract kaon parton distribution functions (PDFs) using meson-induced Drell-Yan and quarkonium production data. Starting from the statistical model first developed for determining the partonic structure of spin-1/2 nucleon and later applied to the spin-0 pion, we have extended this approach to perform a global fit to existing kaon-induced Drell-Yan and J/ψ production data. These data are well described by the statistical model, allowing an extraction of the kaon PDFs. We find that both the Drell-Yan and the J/ψ data favor a harder valence distribution for strange quark than for up quark in kaon. The kaon gluon distribution is further constrained by the J/ψ production data. In particular, the momentum fraction carried by gluons is found to be similar for pion and kaon.