Overview of lattice calculations of the x-dependence of PDFs, GPDs and TMDs

For a long time, lattice QCD was unable to address the x-dependence of partonic distributions, direct access to which is impossible in Euclidean spacetime. Recent years have brought a breakthrough for such calculations when it was realized that partonic light-cone correlations can be accessed through spatial correlations computable on the lattice. Appropriately devised observables can be factorized into physical PDFs via a perturbative procedure called matching, analogous to the standard factorization of experimental cross sections. In this short review, aimed at a broader high-energy and nuclear physics community, we discuss the recent highlights of this research program. Key concepts are outlined, followed by a case study illustrating the typical stage of current lattice extractions and by a brief review of the most recent explorations. We finalize with a number of messages for the prospects of lattice determinations of partonic structure.

Nucleon Tomography and Generalized Parton Distribution at Physical Pion Mass from Lattice QCD

We present the first lattice calculation of the nucleon isovector unpolarized generalized parton distribution at the physical pion mass using a lattice ensemble with 2+1+1 flavors of highly improved staggered quarks generated by the MILC Collaboration, with lattice spacing a≈0.09  fm and volume 64^{3}×96. We use momentum-smeared sources to improve the signal at nucleon boost momentum P_{z}≈2.2  GeV and report results at nonzero momentum transfers in [0.2,1.0]  GeV^{2}. Nonperturbative renormalization in a regularization-independent momentum-subtraction scheme is used to obtain the quasidistribution before matching to the light-cone generalized parton distributions. The three-dimensional distributions H(x,Q^{2}) and E(x,Q^{2}) at ξ=0 are presented, along with the three-dimensional nucleon tomography and impact parameter-dependent distribution for selected Bjorken x at μ=3  GeV in a modified minimal subtraction scheme.