Double parton scattering: a study of the effective cross section within a Light-Front quark model

Abstract

We present a calculation of the effective cross section $\sigma_{eff}$, an important ingredient in the description of double parton scattering in proton-proton collisions. Our theoretical approach makes use of a Light-Front quark model as framework to calculate the double parton distribution functions at low-resolution scale. QCD evolution is implemented to reach the experimental scale. The obtained $\sigma_{eff}$, when averaged over the longitudinal momentum fractions of the interacting partons, $x_i$, is consistent with the present experimental scenario. However the result of the complete calculation shows a dependence of $\sigma_{eff}$ on $x_i$, a feature not easily seen in the available data, probably because of their low accuracy. Measurements of $\sigma_{eff}$ in restricted $x_i$ regions are addressed to obtain indications on double parton correlations, a novel and interesting aspect of the three dimensional structure of the nucleon.