# Renormalization group improved BFKL equation Work supported in part by the E.U. QCDNET contract FMRX-CT98-0194 and by MURST (Italy)

## Abstract

I report on the recent proposal of a generalized small-$`x`$ equation which, in addition to exact leading and next-to-leading BFKL kernels, incorporates renormalization group constraints in the relevant collinear limits.

The calculation of next-to-leading log $`x`$ corrections to the BFKL equation was completed last year  after several years of theoretical effort. The results, for both anomalous dimension and hard Pomeron, show however signs of instability due to both the size and the (negative) sign of corrections, possibly leading to problems with positivity also .

If we write the eigenvalue equation corresponding to the BFKL solution in the form 

$`\omega `$ $`=`$ $`\overline{\alpha }_s(t)\left[\chi _0(\gamma )+\overline{\alpha }_s(\mu ^2)\chi _1(\gamma )+\mathrm{}\right],`$   
$`t`$ $`=`$ $`\mathrm{log}{\displaystyle \frac{k^2}{\lambda ^2}},`$ (1)   
where $`\omega =N1`$ is the moment index and $`\gamma `$ is an anomalous dimension variable, the NL eigenvalue function has the shape of Fig 1, which completely overtrows the LL picture, even for coupling values as low as .04.

The basic reason for the instability above lies in the $`\gamma `$-singularity structure of $`\chi _1`$ (cubic poles) which are of collinear origin, and keep track of the choice of the scaling variable, whether it is $`kk_0`$/s, or $`k^2`$/s, or $`k_0^2`$/s, in a two-scale hard process. An additional reason lies in the renormalization scale $`(\mu )`$ dependence of Eq (1), related to the method of solution.

In a recent proposal , both problems are overcome at once by a proper use of R.G. constraints on both kernel and solution. On one hand, the requirement of single-log scaling violations for both $`kk_0`$ with Bjorken variable $`k^2`$/s and for the symmetrical limit, imply an $`\omega `$-dependent shift of the $`\gamma `$-singularities in the kernel which resums the double logarithmic ones mentioned before.

On the other hand, a novel method of solution called $`\omega `$-expansion  replaces $`\alpha _s`$ with $`\omega `$ as perturbative parameter of the subleading hierarchy, and allows a R.G. invariant formulation of the solution. More precisely, for large $`t`$ the gluon Green’s function takes the factorized form

$$G_\omega (𝐤,𝐤_0)=_\omega (𝐤)\stackrel{~}{}_\omega (𝐤_0),tt_01,$$
(2)   
where

$`\dot{g}_\omega (t)`$ $``$ $`𝐤^2_\omega (𝐤)`$ (3)   
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{d\gamma }{2\pi i}\mathrm{exp}\left[\gamma t\frac{1}{b\omega }X(\gamma ,\omega )\right]}`$   
is the $`t`$-dependent unintegrated gluon density. The phase function X is given in terms of the effective eigenvalue function

$$\frac{}{\gamma }X(\gamma ,\omega )=\chi (\gamma ,\omega )=\chi _0^\omega (\gamma )+\omega \frac{\chi _1^\omega (\gamma )}{\chi _0^\omega (\gamma )}+\mathrm{},$$
(4)   
which now has a fully stable $`\omega `$-dependence (Fig.2).

The improved kernel eigenvalue functions $`\chi _0^\omega `$ and $`\chi _1^\omega `$ are constructed from the exact L+NL kernels, by incorporating the $`\omega `$-shift requirement. The neglected terms in Eq.4 yield a small error, corresponding to a coupling change $`\delta \alpha _s/\alpha _s=O(\alpha _s\omega )`$, subleading in both $`\frac{\alpha _s}{\omega }`$ and $`\alpha _s`$ expansions of the small-$`x`$ hierarchy.

The solution for the effective anomalous dimension $`\gamma _{eff}=\dot{g}_\omega (t)/g_\omega (t)`$ is shown in Fig.3, compared to L and NL approximations. The resummed result is remarkably similar to the fixed order value until very close to the singularity point $`\omega _c(t)`$, which lies below the saddle point breakdown value $`\omega _s(t)`$ used in previous NL estimates of the hard Pomeron. The latter signals the failure of the large-$`t`$ saddle point $`b\omega t=\chi (\overline{\gamma },\omega )`$ to yield a reliable anomalous dimension $`\overline{\gamma }`$, due to infinite $`\gamma `$-fluctuations. The former is the position of the true $`t`$-dependent $`\omega `$ singularity, and is systematically lower \[Fig.4\]. No instabilities and very little renormalization scheme dependence are found.

The critical exponents $`\omega _c(t)`$ and $`\omega _s(t)`$ are actually both needed for a full understanding of the Green’s function (2), whose coefficient $`\stackrel{~}{}_\omega (𝐤_0)`$ carries the $`t`$-independent, leading Pomeron singularity, which is really nonperturbative. While a precise estimate of the latter requires extrapolating the small-$`x`$ equation in the strong-coupling region $`k^2\mathrm{\Lambda }^2`$, one can argue  that $`\omega _c`$ and $`\omega _s`$ provide lower and upper bounds on $`\omega _P`$, and thus a first rough estimate of the Pomeron intercept.

I wish to thank Dimitri Colferai and Gavin Salam for friendly and helpful discussions.