Perturbative $T$-odd asymmetries in the Drell-Yan process revisited

Phys. Rev. D 109, 114023 (2024) We calculate the perturbative $T$-odd contributions to the lepton angular distribution in the Drell-Yan process. Using collinear factorization, we work at the first order in QCD perturbation theory where these contributions appear, ${\cal O}(\alpha_s^2)$, and address both $W^\pm$ and $\gamma/Z^0$ boson exchange. A major focus of our calculation is on the regime where the boson's transverse momentum $Q_T$ is much smaller than its mass $Q$. We carefully expand our results up to next-to-next-to-leading power in $Q_T/Q$. Our calculation provides a benchmark for studies of $T$-odd contributions that employ transverse-momentum dependent parton distribution functions. In the neutral-current case we compare our results for the $T$-odd structure functions to available ATLAS data.