Azimuthal decorrelation in diffractive dijet production
Pith reviewed 2026-06-28 13:42 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Azimuthal decorrelation in diffractive dijet production probes non-perturbative diffractive TMDs.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
The acoplanarity of diffractive dijet production can serve as a promising probe of diffractive transverse momentum-dependent distributions when soft-gluon emissions are resummed to all orders in the dominant semi-inclusive channel.
What carries the argument
All-order soft-gluon resummation of the transverse energy-energy correlator that isolates diffractive TMD contributions in the channel with an unobserved semi-hard gluon.
If this is right
- The decorrelation depends on the definition of the jet axis, as demonstrated explicitly for heavy-quark pair production.
- Numerical predictions are supplied for kinematics accessible at LHC ultra-peripheral collisions, HERA, and the future EIC.
- The resummation accounts for both initial-state and final-state soft radiation in the observable.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- If the observable works as described, it could be combined with other diffractive measurements to map the transverse structure of diffractive partons.
- The same resummation framework might extend to related processes such as diffractive trijet or photon-jet production.
- A clean separation of TMD effects would allow direct comparison between diffractive and inclusive TMD extractions at the same collider.
Load-bearing premise
The dominant semi-inclusive channel with an unobserved semi-hard gluon permits an all-order soft-gluon resummation that isolates the contribution of diffractive TMDs without significant contamination from other mechanisms.
What would settle it
Data from EIC or LHC ultra-peripheral collisions that show azimuthal decorrelation patterns incompatible with the resummed predictions, after standard experimental cuts and uncertainties, would falsify the isolation claim.
read the original abstract
We calculate the azimuthal angular decorrelation of diffractive dijets in ultra-peripheral heavy-ion, $ep$, and $eA$ collisions to probe non-perturbative diffractive transverse momentum-dependent distributions. Focusing on the dominant semi-inclusive channel with an unobserved semi-hard gluon, we perform an all-order resummation of soft gluon emissions for the transverse energy-energy correlator observable, accounting for both initial and final state radiation. We also analyze heavy-quark pair production and demonstrate the sensitivity of the decorrelation to the jet axis definition. Finally, we provide numerical predictions for relevant kinematics at LHC UPCs, HERA, and the future EIC. Our results demonstrate that the acoplanarity of diffractive dijet production could serve as a promising probe of diffractive transverse momentum-dependent distributions.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The manuscript calculates the azimuthal angular decorrelation of diffractive dijets in ultra-peripheral heavy-ion, ep, and eA collisions. Focusing on the dominant semi-inclusive channel with an unobserved semi-hard gluon, it performs an all-order resummation of soft gluon emissions (initial- and final-state) for the transverse energy-energy correlator observable. It additionally analyzes heavy-quark pair production, demonstrates sensitivity of the decorrelation to the jet axis definition, and supplies numerical predictions for LHC UPC, HERA, and EIC kinematics. The central claim is that acoplanarity in this channel can serve as a promising probe of diffractive TMDs.
Significance. If the resummation isolates the diffractive TMD contribution without significant contamination, the work supplies a concrete, falsifiable observable for accessing non-perturbative diffractive TMDs at existing and future facilities. The explicit checks on heavy-quark pairs and jet-axis dependence, together with the provision of numerical predictions, constitute concrete strengths that enhance the utility of the results.
minor comments (3)
- [Abstract and §3] The abstract states that the resummation 'isolates the contribution of diffractive TMDs without significant contamination,' but the manuscript should explicitly quantify the size of potential contamination from other mechanisms in a dedicated subsection or appendix.
- [§4] Notation for the transverse energy-energy correlator and the acoplanarity variable should be defined once at first use and used consistently thereafter; several instances of undefined symbols appear in the numerical section.
- [§5] The numerical predictions section would benefit from a table comparing the resummed results to fixed-order or parton-shower benchmarks for at least one kinematic point.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for the positive assessment of our manuscript and the recommendation for minor revision. The report does not provide any specific major comments to address.
Circularity Check
No significant circularity; derivation is self-contained
full rationale
The paper applies all-order soft-gluon resummation (standard QCD technique) to the transverse energy-energy correlator in the semi-inclusive diffractive dijet channel with unobserved gluon. The central claim is that acoplanarity can probe diffractive TMDs after this resummation, with numerical predictions for LHC/HERA/EIC kinematics. No load-bearing step reduces by construction to fitted inputs, self-citations, or ansatze imported from prior author work. The derivation chain (resummation isolating TMD contribution, checks on heavy-quark pairs and jet axis) remains independent of the target result and does not rename known patterns or invoke uniqueness theorems from overlapping authors. This is the normal case of an honest non-finding.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
axioms (1)
- domain assumption Standard QCD soft-gluon resummation techniques apply directly to the diffractive dijet channel with an unobserved gluon.
Reference graph
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discussion (0)
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