Combined analysis of SLAC-BCDMS-NMC data at high x: \alpha_s and high twists

Abstract

We perform a NLO QCD analysis of the nonsinglet part of the combined SLAC-BCDMS-NMC data on inclusive deep inelastic cross section with the extraction of $\alpha_s$. We show that the value of $\alpha_s$ obtained in the analysis is sensitive to the statistical inference procedures dealing with systematic errors on the data. The fit with the complete account of point-to-point correlations of the data gives the value of $\alpha_s(M_Z)=0.1183\pm0.0021(exp.)\pm0.0013(ren.scale)$ that is compatible with the LEP measurements and the world average. Model independent x-shape of high twist contributions to the structure functions $F_L$ and $F_2$ is extracted. Twist-4 contribution to $F_L$ is found to be in qualitative agreement with the predictions of infrared renormalon model. Twist-6 contribution to $F_L$ exhibit weak trend to negative values, and twist-6 contribution to $F_2$ - to positive values, although both are compatible with zero within errors.