The $O\left({\alpha }_s\right)$ perturbative quantum-chromodynamic corrections to weak, charged-current production of heavy quarks are evaluated. For perturbative subtractions and parton densities defined via the electroproduction structure function $F_2^{{\gamma }^{*}}$, the residual corrections to $\nu N$ flavor-production structure functions are shown to be modest except for $x^{\prime }\to 1$ or $Q^2\ll M^2$. We investigate sensitivity of the results to different perturbative subtraction prescriptions. Specializing to charm production, we further find that, for $E_{\nu }>30\mathrm{}$ GeV, color-radiative corrections modify estimated production cross sections by no more than 10%. The results for charm are shown to be generally insensitive to factorization of $G\to c\overline{c}$ splitting "singularities" into evolution of an intrinsic charm-sea component of the nucleon. The longitudinal structure function due to charm production is computed and found to be substantial.

• Received 9 June 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.23.56