Inclusive D*(+/-) meson and associated dijet production in deep-inelastic scattering at HERA

Abstract

Inclusive D*(+/-) production is measured in deep-inelastic ep scattering at HERA with the H1 detector. In addition, the production of dijets in events with a D*(+/-) meson is investigated. The analysis covers values of photon virtuality 2 LT = Q(2) LT = 100 GeV2 and of inelasticity 0.05 LT = y LT = 0.7. Differential cross sections are measured as a function of Q(2) and x and of various D*(+/-) meson and jet observables. Within the experimental and theoretical uncertainties all measured cross sections are found to be adequately described by next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD calculations, based on the photon - gluon fusion process and DGLAP evolution, without the need for an additional resolved component of the photon beyond what is included at NLO. A reasonable description of the data is also achieved by a prediction based on the CCFM evolution of partons involving the kT- unintegrated gluon distribution of the proton.