We perform the first global QCD analysis of parton distribution functions (PDFs) in the pion, with lattice-QCD data on gluonic pseudo--Ioffe-time distributions fitted simultaneously with experimental Drell-Yan and leading neutron electroproduction data. Inclusion of the lattice results with parametrized systematic corrections significantly reduces the uncertainties on the gluon PDF at parton momentum fractions x≳0.2, revealing a higher gluon density in the pion at large x than in the proton. The similar gluon momentum fractions in the pion and proton further suggests a relative suppression of the pion gluon density at small x.
@article{arxiv.2507.22730,
title = {Pionic gluons from global QCD analysis of experimental and lattice data},
author = {William Good and Patrick C. Barry and Huey-Wen Lin and W. Melnitchouk and Alex NieMiera and Nobuo Sato},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.22730},
year = {2025}
}