Constraints on pion parton distributions at small $x$ from leading-neutron electroproduction data

We revisit the extraction of parton distribution functions (PDFs) in the pion in a global QCD analysis of pion–nucleus Drell–Yan and leading-neutron (LN) electroproduction data, in view of recent suggestions that uncertainties on the pion PDFs at small parton momentum fraction $x$ are dramatically underestimated. We perform a set of controlled fits that vary the LN data coverage, PDF parametrization, and positivity constraints, determining both the PDFs and pion-nucleon splitting functions simultaneously. While the use of a restricted H1 LN data sample used by the Fantômas group is found to enlarge the PDF uncertainties and admit solutions with vanishing gluon PDFs, our global analysis provides a good description of an extended H1 and ZEUS LN database, significantly reducing the parametrization dependence and strongly disfavoring a zero gluon distribution.