Large-Momentum Effective Theory

Abstract

Since the parton model was introduced by Feynman more than fifty years ago, we have learned much about the partonic structure of the proton through a large body of high-energy experimental data and dedicated global fits. However, calculating the partonic observables such as parton distribution function (PDFs) from the fundamental theory of strong interactions, QCD, has made limited progress. Recently, the authors have advocated a formalism, large-momentum effective theory (LaMET), through which one can extract parton physics from the properties of the proton travelling at a moderate boost-factor, e.g., $\gamma\sim (2-5)$. The key observation behind this approach is that Lorentz symmetry allows the standard formalism of partons in terms of light-front operators to be replaced by an equivalent one with large-momentum states and time-independent operators of a universality class. With LaMET, the PDFs, generalized PDFs or GPDs, transverse-momentum-dependent PDFs, and light-front wave functions can all be extracted in principle from lattice simulations of QCD (or other non-perturbative methods) through standard effective field theory matching and running. Future lattice QCD calculations with exa-scale computational facilities can help to understand the experimental data related to the hadronic structure, including those from the upcoming Electron-Ion Colliders dedicated to exploring the partonic landscape of the proton. Here we review the progress made in the past few years in development of the LaMET formalism and its applications, particularly on the demonstration of its effectiveness from initial lattice QCD simulations.