Transverse momentum correlations of quarks in recursive jet models

Abstract

In the symmetric string fragmentation recipe adopted by PYTHIA for jet simulations, the transverse momenta of successive quarks are uncorrelated. This is a simplification but has no theoretical reason. Transverse momentum correlations are naturally expected, for instance, in a covariant multiperipheral model of quark hadronization. We propose a simple recipe of string fragmentation which lead to such correlations. The definition of the jet axis and its relation with the primordial transverse momentum of the quark is also discussed.