Can partons describe the CDF jet data?

Abstract

The recent CDF single jet inclusive measurements at Fermilab are incorporated in a global next-to-leading order parton analysis of the available deep inelastic and related data. We find that it is impossible to achieve a simultaneous QCD description of both the CDF jet distribution for transverse energies $E_T > 200$~GeV and the deep inelastic structure function data for $x > 0.3$. However, the CDF data for $E_T < 200$~GeV and the deep inelastic data are adequately described provided that the QCD coupling $\alpha_S(M_Z^2)$ is increased from its preferred deep inelastic value to $\alpha_S (M_Z^2) \simeq 0.116 - 0.120$.