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E. Leader

Publications and source records attributed to E. Leader.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A critique of the angular momentum sum rules and a new angular momentum sum rule

We present a study of the tensorial structure of the hadronic matrix elements of the angular momentum operators $\bm{J}$. Well known results in the literature are shown to be incorrect, and we have taken pains to derive the correct expressions in three different ways, two involving explicit physical wave packets and the third, totally independent, based upon the rotational properties of the state vectors. Surprisingly it turns out that the results are very sensitive to the type of relativistic spin state used to describe the motion of the particle i.e. whether a canonical (i.e. boost) state or a helicity state is utilized. We present results for the matrix elements of the angular momentum operators, valid in an arbitrary Lorentz frame, both for helicity states and canonical states. These results are relevant for the construction of angular momentum sum rules, relating the angular momentum of a nucleon to the spin and orbital angular momentum of its constituents. It turns out that it is necessary to distinguish carefully whether the motion of the partons is characterized via canonical or helicity spin states. Fortunately, for the simple parton model interpretation, when the proton moves along $OZ$, our results for the sum rule based upon the matrix elements of $J_z$ agree with the often used sum rule found in the literature. But for the components $J_x, J_y$ the results are different and lead to a new and very intuitive sum rule for transverse polarization.

hep-ph↗

Parton intrinsic motion: suppression of the Collins mechanism for transverse single spin asymmetries in p(transv. polarised) p --> pion + X

We consider a general formalism to compute inclusive polarised and unpolarised cross sections within pQCD and the factorisation scheme, taking into account parton intrinsic motion in distribution and fragmentation functions, as well as in the elementary dynamics. Surprisingly, the intrinsic partonic motion, with all the correct azimuthal angular dependences, produces a strong suppression of the transverse single spin asymmetry arising from the Collins mechanism. As a consequence, and in contradiction with earlier claims, the Collins mechanism is unable to explain the large asymmetries found in p(transv. polarised) p --> pion + X at moderate to large Feynman x_F. The Sivers effect is not suppressed.

hep-ph↗

Accessing Sivers gluon distribution via transverse single spin asymmetries in p(transv. polarized) p --> D X processes at RHIC

The production of D mesons in the scattering of transversely polarized protons off unpolarized protons at RHIC offers a clear opportunity to gain information on the Sivers gluon distribution function. D production at intermediate rapidity values is dominated by the elementary g g --> c cbar channel; contributions from q qbar --> c cbar s-channel become important only at very large values of x_F. In both processes there is no single spin transfer, so that the final c or cbar quarks are not polarized. Therefore, any transverse single spin asymmetry observed for D's produced in p(transv. polarized) p interactions cannot originate from the Collins fragmentation mechanism, but only from the Sivers effect in the distribution functions. In particular, any sizeable spin asymmetry measured in p(transv. polarized) p --> D X at mid-rapidity values will be a direct indication of a non zero Sivers gluon distribution function. We study the p(transv. polarized) p --> D X process including intrinsic transverse motion in the parton distribution and fragmentation functions and in the elementary dynamics, and show how results from RHIC could allow a measurement of the Sivers gluon distribution function.

hep-ph↗

Importance of Higher Twist Corrections in Polarized DIS

The higher twist corrections $h^N(x)/Q^2$ to the spin dependent proton and neutron $g_1$ structure functions are extracted from the world data on $g_1(x,Q^2)$ in a model independent way and found to be non-negligible. Their role in determining the polarized parton densities in the nucleon is discussed. It is also considered how the results are influenced by the recent JLab and HERMES/d inclusive DIS data.

hep-ph↗

On the Role of Higher Twist in Polarized Deep Inelastic Scattering

The higher twist corrections $h^N(x)/Q^2$ to the spin dependent proton and neutron structure functions $g_1^N(x, Q^2)$ are extracted in a model independent way from experimental data on $g_1^N$ and found to be non-negligible. It is shown that the NLO QCD polarized parton densities determined from the data on g1, including higher twist effects, are in good agreement with those found earlier from our analysis of the data on g1/F1 and A1 where higher twist effects are negligible. On the contrary, the LO QCD polarized parton densities obtained from the data on g1, including higher twist, differ significantly from our previous results.

hep-ph↗

Can the polarization of the strange quarks in the proton be positive ?

Recently, the HERMES Collaboration at DESY, using a leading order QCD analysis of their data on semi-inclusive deep inelastic production of charged hadrons, reported a marginally positive polarization for the strange quarks in the proton. We argue that a non-negative polarization is almost impossible.

hep-ph↗

Fragmentation functions and their role in determining the polarized parton densities

We extract the pion fragmentation functions and their uncertainties from a judicious choice of e+e- and semi-inclusive DIS data. These are used to study the error propagation in the extraction of polarized parton densities from semi-inclusive DIS asymmetries. We conclude that the uncertainties on polarized PDs have been underestimated in the past.

hep-ph↗

A New Evaluation of Polarized Parton Densities in the Nucleon

We present a new leading and next-to-leading QCD analysis of the world data on inclusive polarized deep inelastic scattering. A new set of polarized parton densities is extracted from the data and the sensitivity of the results to the newly incorporated SLAC/E155 proton data is discussed.

hep-ph↗

Fragmentation functions from semi-inclusive DIS pion production and implications for the polarized parton densities

By combining recent HERMES data on semi-inclusive DIS $π^\pm$-production with the singlet fragmentation function $D_Σ^{π^+}$, which is well determined from $e^+e^-$ data, we are able to extract, for the first time, the flavoured fragmentation functions $D_u^{π^+}$, $D_d^{π^+}$ and $D_s^{π^+}$ without making any assumptions about favoured and unfavoured transitions. Whereas $D_u^{π^+}$ and $D_d^{π^+}$ are very well determined, the accuracy of $D_s^{π^+}$ is limited by the uncertainty in evolving $D_Σ^{π^+}$ from the $Z^0$ pole down to the SIDIS scale of a few $(GeV)^2$. We discuss how the precision on $D_s^{π^+}$ could be improved. Knowledge of the $D_{q=u,d,s}^{π^+}$ will permit the extraction of the polarized parton densities from future polarized SIDIS asymmetry measurements. We study the precision that can be expected in such an extraction.

hep-ph↗

An absolute polarimeter for high energy protons

A study of the spin asymmetries for polarized elastic proton proton collisions in the electromagnetic hadronic interference (CNI) region of momentum transfer provides a method of self calibration of proton polarization. The method can be extended to non-identical spin half scattering so that, in principle, the polarization of a proton may be obtained through an analysis of its elastic collision with a different polarized particle, helium 3 for instance. Sufficiently large CNI spin asymmetries provide enough information to facilitate the evaluation of nearly all the helicity amplitudes at small t as well as the polarization of both initial spin half fermions. Thus it can serve equally well as a polarimeter for helium 3.

hep-ph↗

Parton Densities and Fragmentation Functions from Polarized Lambda Production in Semi-Inclusive DIS

We consider the longitudinal polarization of Lambda and Lambda-bar produced in the current fragmentation region of polarized deep inelastic scattering. We show how the various cross sections can be used to test the underlying parton dynamics, and how one can extract information about certain parton densities which are poorly known, in particular the polarized strange density sum Delta-s(x) + Delta-s-bar(x), and about fragmentation functions which are totally unknown and which are difficult to access by other means. We show also how one can obtain information concerning the intriguing question as to whether s(x) = s-bar(x) and whether Delta-s(x) = Delta-s-bar(x).

hep-ph↗

Electron Scattering with Polarized Targets at TESLA

Measurements of polarized electron-nucleon scattering can be realized at the TESLA linear collider facility with projected luminosities that are about two orders of magnitude higher than those expected of other experiments at comparable energies. Longitudinally polarized electrons, accelerated as a small fraction of the total current in the e+ arm of TESLA, can be directed onto a solid state target that may be either longitudinally or transversely polarized. A large variety of polarized parton distribution and fragmentation functions can be determined with unprecedented accuracy, many of them for the first time. A main goal of the experiment is the precise measurement of the x- and Q^2-dependence of the experimentally totally unknown quark transversity distributions that will complete the information on the nucleon's quark spin structure as relevant for high energy processes. Comparing their Q^2-evolution to that of the corresponding helicity distributions constitutes an important precision test of the predictive power of QCD in the spin sector. Measuring transversity distributions and tensor charges allows access to the hitherto unmeasured chirally odd operators in QCD which are of great importance to understand the role of chiral symmetry. The possibilities of using unpolarized targets and of experiments with a real photon beam turn TESLA-N into a versatile next-generation facility at the intersection of particle and nuclear physics.

hep-ph↗

Semi-inclusive hadron-hadron transverse spin asymmetries and their implication for polarized DIS

We discuss a possible explanation of the 25 year old mystery of the large transverse spin asymmetries found in many semi-inclusive hadron-hadron reactions. We obtain the first reliable information about the transverse polarized quark densities Delta_T q(x) and we find surprising implications for the usual, longitudinal, polarized DIS. The plan of the presentation is as follows: 1) A brief reminder about the internal structure of the nucleon. 2) The transverse asymmetries. 3) Why it is so difficult to explain the asymmetries. 4) Failure and then success using a new soft mechanism. 5) implications for polarized DIS.

hep-ph↗

On the Sensitivity of the Polarized Parton Densities to Flavour SU(3) Symmetry Breaking

Motivated by the possibility that it may be misleading to assume SU(3) symmetry in the analysis of hyperon β-decays, we study the sensitivity of the polarized parton densities, derived from the world data on inclusive polarized deep inelastic lepton-nucleon scattering, to variation of the value of the nonsinglet axial charge a_8 from its SU(3) value of 3F-D.

hep-ph↗

Reassessment of the Collins Mechanism for Single-spin Asymmetries and the behavior of Delta d(x) at large x

It is shown that the Collins mechanism explanation of the transverse single-spin asymmetries in p^{\uparrow} p -> πX leads to a transversely polarized d quark density Delta_T d(x) which violates the Soffer bound when one uses several standard forms for the longitudinally polarized d quark density Delta d(x) obtained from polarized deep inelastic scattering. Imposition of the Soffer bound with these Delta d(x) yields results in hopeless disagreement with the data. Remarkably, imposition of the Soffer bound, but using parametrizations of Delta d(x) that respect the PQCD condition Delta q(x) / q(x) -> 1 as x -> 1, leads to an excellent fit to most of the data. The implications for the polarized DIS neutron longitudinal asymmetry A_1^n at large x are dramatic.

hep-ph↗

Contour gauges, canonical formalism and flux algebras

A broad class of contour gauges is shown to be determined by admissible contractions of the geometrical region considered and a suitable equivalence class of curves is defined. In the special case of magnetostatics, the relevant electromagnetic potentials are directly related to the ponderomotive forces. Schwinger's method of extracting a gauge invariant factor from the fermion propagator could, it is argued, lead to incorrect results. Dirac brackets of both Maxwell and Yang-Mills theories are given for arbitrary admissible space-like paths. It is shown how to define a non-abelian flux and local charges which obey a local charge algebra. Fields associated with the charges differ from the electric fields of the theory by singular topological terms; to avoid this obstruction to the Gauss law it is necessary to exclude a single, gauge fixing curve from the region considered.

hep-th↗