Lattice continuum-limit study of nucleon quasi-PDFs
Abstract
The quasi-PDF approach provides a path to computing parton distribution functions (PDFs) using lattice QCD. This approach requires matrix elements of a power-divergent operator in a nucleon at high momentum and one generically expects discretization effects starting at first order in the lattice spacing a. Therefore, it is important to demonstrate that the continuum limit can be reliably taken and to understand the size and shape of lattice artifacts. In this work, we report a calculation of isovector unpolarized and helicity PDFs using lattice ensembles with Nf=2+1+1 Wilson twisted mass fermions, a pion mass of approximately 370 MeV, and three different lattice spacings. Our results show a significant dependence on a, and the continuum extrapolation produces a better agreement with phenomenology. The latter is particularly true for the antiquark distribution at small momentum fraction x, where the extrapolation changes its sign.