Charm Production: Pole Mass or Running Mass?

Abstract

We consider the role of the charm mass in PDF fits, and in particular the reliability of recent determinations of the MSbar running mass from fits to inclusive charm production data. We explain how the use of the pole mass, with a charm PDF determined empirically, can reduce PDF uncertainties from charm mass effects, and thereby lead to more reliable predictions for hard processes at the LHC.

Comments: 9 pages, no figures, proceedings article for Diffraction 2016