On positivity of parton distributions

Abstract

We discuss the bounds on polarized parton distributions which follow from their definition in terms of cross section asymmetries. We spell out how the bounds obtained in the naive parton model can be derived within perturbative QCD at leading order when all quark and gluon distributions are defined in terms of suitable physical processes. We specify a convenient physical definition for the polarized and unpolarized gluon distributions in terms of Higgs production from gluon fusion. We show that these bounds are modified by subleading corrections, and we determine them up to NLO. We examine the ensuing phenomenological implications, in particular in view of the determination of the polarized gluon distribution.