Low-energy theory of jet processes and PDF factorization

Abstract

The consistency of collinear factorization violation with PDF factorization has been an outstanding challenge and subject of considerable debate. In this work we demonstrate their compatibility using a factorization theorem for non-global jet observables. Our analysis relies on consistency relations derived from renormalization conditions in effective field theory. We verify these relations through an explicit computation at three-loop order and show that the double-logarithmic evolution sourcing the super-leading logarithms reduces to single-logarithmic DGLAP running below the lowest perturbative scale. The crucial ingredient reconciling the two evolutions is a perturbative Glauber contribution to the low-energy matrix elements which breaks soft-collinear factorization at the cross section level but restores PDF factorization.