Effects of transversity in deep-inelastic scattering by polarized protons

By A. Airapetian, N. Akopov, Z. Akopov, E. Aschenauer, W. Augustyniak, R. Avakian, A. Avetissian, E. Avetisyan, A. Bacchetta, S. Belostotski and 133 more. 2010

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Abstract Single-spin asymmetries for pions and charged kaons are measured in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of positrons and electrons off a transversely nuclear-polarized hydrogen target. The dependence of the cross section on the azimuthal angles of the target polarization ( ϕ S ) and the produced hadron (ϕ) is found to have a substantial sin ( ϕ + ϕ S ) modulation for the production of π + , π − and K + . This Fourier component can be interpreted in terms of non-zero transversity distribution functions and non-zero favored and disfavored Collins fragmentation functions with opposite sign. For π 0 and K − production the amplitude of this Fourier component is consistent with zero.

Subfields: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/24de932322a967e8d1148b576ccd82a24b73acca