Can we fit nuclear PDFs with the high-x CLAS data?

Abstract

Nuclear parton distribution functions (nuclear PDFs) are non-perturbative objects that encode the partonic behaviour of bound nucleons. To avoid potential higher-twist contributions, the data probing the high-x end of nuclear PDFs are sometimes left out from the global extractions despite their potential to constrain the fit parameters. In the present work we focus on the kinematic corner covered by the new high-x data measured by the CLAS/JLab collaboration. By using the Hessian re-weighting technique, we are able to quantitatively test the compatibility of these data with globally analyzed nuclear PDFs and explore the expected impact on the valence-quark distributions at high x. We find that the data are in a good agreement with the EPPS16 and nCTEQ15 nuclear PDFs whereas they disagree with TuJu19. The implications on flavour separation, higher-twist contributions and models of EMC effect are discussed.