Off-forward gluonic structure of vector mesons

Abstract

The spin-independent and transversity generalised form factors (GFFs) of the $\phi$ meson are studied using lattice QCD calculations with light quark masses corresponding to a pion mass $m_\pi\sim450(5)$ MeV. One transversity and three spin-independent GFFs related to the lowest moments of leading-twist spin-independent and transversity gluon distributions are obtained at six non-zero values of the momentum transfer up to 1.2 GeV$^2$. These quantities are compared with the analogous spin-independent quark GFFs and the electromagnetic form factors determined on the same lattice ensemble. The results show quantitative distinction between the spatial distribution of transversely polarised gluons, unpolarised gluons, and quarks, and point the way towards further investigations of the gluon structure of nucleons and nuclei.