Using Sullivan processes with $\rho \pi \pi$, $K^{*+}{\overline{K}}^0\pi$, and ${\overline{K}}^{*0\mathrm{}}{K}^{+}\pi$ vertices, we describe how the sea-quark distributions of a pion may be generated in a quantitative manner. The input valence-quark distributions are obtained using the leading Fock component of the light-cone wave function, which is in accord with results obtained from the QCD sum rules. The sample numerical results appear to be reasonable as far as the existing Drell-Yan production data are concerned, although the distributions as a function of $x$ differs slightly from those obtained by imposing counting rules for $x\to 0$ and $x\to 1$. Our results lend additional support toward the conjecture of Hwang, Speth, and Brown that the sea distributions of a hadron, at low and moderate $Q^2$ at least up to a few ${\mathrm{GeV}}^2$), may be attributed primarily to generalized Sullivan processes.

• Received 4 April 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.45.3061