1 Deep Inelastic Scattering Kinematics

1.1 Conventions and Basic Relations

We choose the direction of the hadron beam as the +z direction, with the
lepton beam traveling in the opposite direction. The initial hadron and
electron energies are Eh and E` , respectively. The scattering angle of the
lepton is denoted by θ (θ = π for the initial lepton direction), and the angle
of the final state hadronic system is denoted by γ (γ = 0 for the initial hadron
direction). We denote the momentum four-vectors of the initial lepton and
the inital hadron as k and P , respectively, and the scattered four-momenta
as k 0 and P 0 . The final state energies of the lepton and hadronic system are
denote E`0 and Ermh0
, respectively.
The squared center-of-mass energy, s, is given by:

s = 4E` Eh (1)

The negative squared four-momentum transferred in deep inelastic scat-

tering (DIS) between the lepton and hadron is

Q2 ≡ −q 2 = −(k − k 0 )2 = sxy (2)

where x is the Bjorken scaling variable and y is the fractional energy transfer
from the lepton, defined as:
Q2
x= (3)
2P · q
P ·q
y= (4)
P ·k

1.2 Lepton Variables

The DIS variables using the scattered lepton variables are given by:

Q2 = 2E` E`0 (1 + cos θ) (5)

E`0
y =1− (1 − cos θ) (6)
2E`
The variable x can be found from Eq.(2).

1
 An expression for Q2 as a function of x based on the scattered lepton
energy E`0 can be found by solving for cos θ in Eq.(5) and plugging into
Eq.(6), then using Eq.(2):
1 − E`0 /E`
Q2 = 1 (7)
sx
− 4E1 2
`

Likewise, an expression for Q2 as a function of x based on the scattered

lepton angle θ can be found by solving for E`0 in Eq.(5) and plugging into
plugging into Eq.(6), then using Eq.(2):
s
Q2 = 1 Eh 1−cos θ (8)
x
+ (
E` 1+cos θ
)

1.3 Hadron variables

The DIS variables using the scattered hadronic variables are given by:
Eh02 sin2 γ
Q2 = (9)
1−y
Eh0
y= (1 − cos γ) (10)
2E`
These variables can be found from the measured hadronic energy flow via
the Jacquet-Blondel method:
( i pT,i )2
P
2
Q = (11)
1−y
P
(Eh,i − pz,i )
y= i (12)
2E`
In other words, P
pT,i
sin γ = i 0 (13)
Eh
The variable x can be found from Eq.(2).
An expression for Q2 as a function of x based on the scattered hadron
energy Eh0 can be found by solving for cos γ in Eq.(10) and plugging into
Eq.(9), expanding out sin2 γ = (1 + cos γ)(1 − cos γ), then using Eq.(2):
Eh0
sx (1 − x Eh
)
Q2 = E`
(14)
(1 − x Eh
)

2
Likewise, an expression for Q2 as a function of x based on the scattered
hadronic angle γ can be found by solving for Eh0 in Eq.(10) and plugging into
plugging into Eq.(9), then using Eq.(2):
sx
Q2 = 4E`2 (1+cos γ)
(15)
1+ sx (1−cos γ)