Drell-Yan Scaling in Semi-Inclusive Electroproduction

Abstract

The scaling behavior of deep-inelastic single-particle inclusive electroproduction (or neutrino production) expected from the parton model has been given by Drell and Yan as ${\nu }^3{\mathcal{W}}_2$ when the observed hadron has a finite fraction of the virtual photon's laboratory momentum. Although Drell and Yan give the correct scaling behavior with their choice of variables, we show that with variables more appropriate experimentally the proper scaling is ${\nu }^2{\mathcal{W}}_2$. Recent data previously thought inconsistent with the parton model are now found to be in agreement, which is especially important since scaling in this kinematic region cannot be predicted from a light-cone analysis.