Next-to-next-to-eikonal corrections in the CGC

Abstract

We extend the study of corrections to the eikonal approximation that was initiated in Ref. \cite{Altinoluk:2014oxa} to higher orders. These corrections associated with the finite width of the target are investigated and the gluon propagator in background field is calculated at next-to-next-to-eikonal accuracy. The result is then applied to the single inclusive gluon production cross section at central rapidities and the light-front helicity asymmetry, in pA collisions, in order to analyse these observables beyond the eikonal limit. The next-to-next-to-eikonal corrections to the unpolarized cross section are non-zero and provide the first corrections to the usual $k_{\perp }$-factorized expression. In contrast, the eikonal and next-to-next-to-eikonal contributions to the helicity asymmetry vanish, while the next-to-eikonal ones are non-zero.

Comments: 32 pages