Dilepton angular distributions in the color-dipole $S$-matrix framework

The dilepton production at forward rapidities in hadronic collisions at the LHC energies is considered and the helicity density matrix elements of gauge bosons that enter the Drell--Yan angular coefficients associated with the gauge boson decay ($G = γ^*, Z^0, W$) are derived using the color-dipole $S$ - matrix framework. We show results for $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 14$ TeV for the nonvanishing helicity density matrix elements in the rapidity range of $2.0 \le y \le 4.0$ of the gauge boson. We consider different models for the proton unintegrated gluon distributions, among others a solution of the Balitsky--Kovchegov equation. We compare the associated predictions with those obtained disregarding the non-linear term in the evolution equation. In addition, the Lam--Tung relation is discussed.