PRODUCTION OF DRELL--YAN PAIRS IN HIGH ENERGY NUCLEON--NUCLEON COLLISIONS

Abstract

We compute cross sections for the Drell-Yan process in N--N collisions at next-to-leading order in $α_s$. The mass, rapidity, transverse momentum, and angular dependence of these cross sections are presented. An estimate of higher order corrections is obtained from next-to-next-to-leading order calculation of the mass distribution. We compare the results with some of the existing data to show the quality of the agreement between calculations and data. We present predictions for energies which will become available at the RHIC and LHC colliders. Uncertainties in these predictions due to choices of scale, scheme and parton distribution are discussed.

27 pages (latex) plus 28 postscript figures