The medium modification of high-virtuality partons

Abstract

The modification of the hard core of jets in a dense QCD medium is studied. In particular, we consider partons which possess a virtuality somewhat larger than the multiple scattering scale of the medium ($\hat{q} \tau$, where $\hat{q}$ is the transverse broadening jet transport coefficient, and $\tau$ is the formation length of a particular emission). We delineate the region of parameter space where the higher-twist approach is applicable, and derive the in-medium DGLAP evolution equation. We study a region in parameter space where this is the dominant mechanism of energy loss. We argue that such a regime is pervasive in most cases of jets in $A$-$A$ and future $e$-$A$ collisions, and controls the modification of the hard core of jets and the leading single particle spectrum at high transverse momentum ($p_\mathrm{T}$).