Azimuthal asymmetries for hadron distributions inside jets in hadronic collisions

Using a generalized parton model approach including spin and intrinsic parton motion effects, and assuming the validity of factorization for large p_T jet production in hadronic collisions, we study the azimuthal distribution around the jet axis of leading pions, produced in the jet fragmentation process. We identify the observable leading-twist azimuthal asymmetries for the unpolarized and single-polarized case related to both quark and gluon-originated jets. We account for all physically allowed combinations of the transverse momentum dependent (TMD) parton distribution and fragmentation functions, with special attention to the Sivers, Boer-Mulders, and transversity quark distributions, and to the Collins fragmentation function for quarks (and to the analogous functions for gluon partons).Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the proceedings of 19th International Spin Physics Symposium (SPIN2010), Sep 27-Oct 2, 2010, Juelich (Germany

Transverse Momentum Dependent Distributions in Hadronic Collisions: p(transv. polarized) p --> D + X and p(transv. polarized) p --> gamma + X

Our understanding of the transverse spin structure of hadrons might definitely get improved by the information we gather on transverse momentum dependent (TMD) distributions. These new functions could also be crucial for a description of the observed transverse single spin asymmetries (SSA). In a hard scattering model for inclusive hadronic reactions, based on a generalized QCD factorization scheme, many mechanisms - namely the Sivers, Collins, Boer-Mulders effects - might contribute to a SSA. We show how the k_T dependent phases arising from the partonic kinematics together with a suitable choice of experimental configurations could help in disentangling the above mentioned effects. We discuss their potential role in two inclusive hadronic processes: heavy meson and photon production in pp and p pbar collisions.Comment: LaTeX 2e, 4 pages, 4 ps figures, uses aipproc.cls. Talk delivered by U. D'Alesio at the "17th International Spin Physics Symposium", SPIN2006, October 2-7, 2006, Kyoto, Japa

Hadron Spin Structure: Novel Effects from Transverse Single Spin Asymmetries

Transverse single spin asymmetries can be a challenging tool in our understanding of the internal structure of hadrons. Some aspects and recent results are discussed.Comment: LaTeX 2e, 3 pages, 2 ps figures, uses aipproc.cls. Talk delivered at the 6th Conference on ``Quark Confinement and the Hadron Spectrum'', September 21-25, 2004, Villasimius, Ital

Parton intrinsic motion: unpolarized cross sections and the Sivers effect in inclusive particle production

We present a detailed study, performed in the framework of LO perturbative QCD with the inclusion of spin and k_T effects, of unpolarized cross sections for the Drell-Yan process and for inclusive pion and photon production in hadronic collisions, in different kinematical situations. We find a satisfactory agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental data. This supports the study of spin effects and transverse single spin asymmetries (SSA) within the same scheme. We then present results for SSA, generated by the so-called Sivers effect, in inclusive pion production in proton-proton collisions.Comment: LaTeX2e, 4 pages, 4 ps figures, uses ws-procs9x6. Talk delivered by F. Murgia at the ``16th International Spin Physics Symposium'', SPIN2004, October 10-16, 2004, Trieste, Ital

Transverse single-spin asymmetries in proton-proton collisions at the AFTER@LHC experiment in a TMD factorisation scheme

The inclusive large-$p_T$ production of a single pion, jet or direct photon, and Drell-Yan processes, are considered for proton-proton collisions in the kinematical range expected for the fixed-target experiment AFTER, proposed at LHC. For all these processes, predictions are given for the transverse single-spin asymmetry, $A_N$, computed according to a Generalised Parton Model previously discussed in the literature and based on TMD factorisation. Comparisons with the results of a collinear twist-3 approach, recently presented, are made and discussed.Comment: RevTex4, 12 pages, 36 eps figures. V2: Few paragraphs and comments added. Several references added. Results unchanged. Matches the published versio

Target Fragmentation of the Nucleon at High Energies

We calculate target fragmentation in $p p \to n X$ and $\gamma p \to n X$ reactions in the meson cloud picture of the nucleon. The $p p \to n X$ reaction is used to fix the $pn\pi^+$ form factor for two different models. We take into account the possible destruction of the residual neutron by the projectile. Using the form factor from the hadronic reaction we calculate photoproduction and small $x_{Bj}$ electroproduction of forward neutrons at HERA. In photoproduction we observe about the same amount of absorption as in the hadronic reaction. For deep inelastic events screening is found to be negligible. The signature of this color transparency on the nucleon is a shift of the $dN/dE_n$ distribution to higher neutron energies for photofragmentation

Cross sections and single spin asymmetries in hadronic collisions with intrinsic transverse momentum effects

The role of intrinsic transverse momentum both in unpolarized and polarized processes is discussed. We consider inclusive cross sections for pion production in hadronic collisions and for Drell-Yan processes; the results are compared with available experimental data in several different kinematical situations. We reanalyze transverse single spin asymmetries (SSA) observed in inclusive pion production, p(transv. polarized) p --> pion + X, in terms of Sivers effect and show how it can be disentangled in polarized Drell-Yan processes by suitably integrating over some final configurations. Estimates for RHIC experiments are given.Comment: LaTeX, 8 pages, 4 ps figures, uses epsfig.sty. Talk delivered by F. Murgia at the "IX Convegno su Problemi di Fisica Nucleare Teorica", October 9-12, 2002, Cortona, Ital

Towards a first estimate of the gluon Sivers function from ANA_N data in pppp collisions at RHIC

Within a generalized parton model approach, with inclusion of spin and intrinsic transverse momentum effects, we show how the latest, highly precise, midrapidity data on the transverse single spin asymmetry measured in $pp\to\pi^0\, X$ by the PHENIX Collaboration at RHIC [1], can be used to get a first estimate on the still poorly known gluon Sivers distribution. To this end we also adopt the present information on the quark Sivers functions, as extracted from semi-inclusive deeply inelastic scattering data. This analysis updates a previous study by some of us where a first bound on this distribution was obtained [2].Comment: RevTex4, 10 pages, 7 eps figures. V2: discussion on the process dependence of the quark Sivers function, with two new plots (Fig. 4), added in Section II. One reference added. Results unchanged. Matches the published versio