Asymptotic freedom and the "absence" of vector-gluon exchange in wide-angle hadronic collisions

The naive, pointlike parton model of Berman, Bjorken, and Kogut is generalized to scale-invariant and asymptotically free field theories. The asymptotically free field generalization is studied in detail. Although such theories contain vector fields, single vector-gluon exchange contributes insignificantly to wide-angle hadronic collisions. This follows from (1) the smallness of the invariant charge at small distances and (2) the breakdown of naive scaling in these theories. These effects should explain the apparent absence of vector exchange in inclusive and exclusive hadronic collisions at large momentum transfers observed at Fermilab and at the CERN ISR.