Werner Vogelsang

Extraction of spin-dependent parton densities and their uncertainties

We discuss techniques and results for the extraction of the nucleons spin-dependent parton distributions and their uncertainties from data for polarized deep-inelastic lepton-nucleon and proton-proton scattering by means of a global QCD analysis. Computational methods are described that significantly increase the speed of the required calculations to a level that allows one to perform the full analysis consistently at next-to-leading order accuracy. We examine how the various data sets help to constrain different aspects of the quark, antiquark, and gluon helicity distributions. Uncertainty estimates are performed using both the Lagrange multiplier and the Hessian approaches. We use the extracted parton distribution functions and their estimated uncertainties to predict spin asymmetries for high-transverse momentum pion and jet production in polarized proton-proton collisions at 500 GeV center-of-mass system energy at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory, as well as for W boson production.

Evidence for polarization of gluons in the proton

We discuss the impact of recent high-statistics Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider data on the determination of the gluon polarization in the proton in the context of a global QCD analysis of polarized parton distributions. We find evidence for a nonvanishing polarization of gluons in the region of momentum fraction and at the scales mostly probed by the data. Although information from low momentum fractions is presently lacking, this finding is suggestive of a significant contribution of gluon spin to the proton spin, thereby limiting the amount of orbital angular momentum required to balance the proton spin budget.

STUDY OF THE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE OF MATTER WITH AN ELECTRON-ION COLLIDER

▪ Abstractu2002We present an overview of the scientific opportunities that would be offered by a high-energy electron-ion collider. We discuss the relevant physics of polarized and unpolarized electron...

Observation concerning the process dependence of the Sivers functions

The k{sub perpendicular} moment of a quarks Sivers function is known to be related to the corresponding twist-three quark-gluon correlation function T{sub q,F}(x,x). The two functions have been extracted from data for single-spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering and in single-inclusive hadron production in pp collisions, respectively. Performing a consistent comparison of the extracted functions, we find that they show a sign mismatch: while the magnitude of the functions is roughly consistent, the k{sub perpendicular} moment of the Sivers function has opposite sign from that of T{sub q,F}(x,x), both for up and for down quarks. Barring any inconsistencies in our theoretical understanding of the Sivers functions and their process dependence, the implication of this mismatch is that either the Sivers effect is not dominantly responsible for the observed single-spin asymmetries in pp collisions or the current semi-inclusive lepton scattering data do not sufficiently constrain the k{sub perpendicular} moment of the quark Sivers functions. Both possibilities strengthen the case for further experimental investigations of single-spin asymmetries in high-energy pp and ep scattering.

Linearly Polarized Gluons and the Higgs Transverse Momentum Distribution

We study how gluons carrying linear polarization inside an unpolarized hadron contribute to the transverse momentum distribution of Higgs bosons produced in hadronic collisions. They modify the distribution produced by unpolarized gluons in a characteristic way that could be used to determine whether the Higgs boson is a scalar or a pseudoscalar particle.

Asymmetric jet correlations in pp ↑ scattering

We propose that back-to-back correlations in the azimuthal angle of jets produced in collisions of unpolarized with transversely polarized proton beams could be used to determine Sivers functions. The corresponding single-spin asymmetry is not power suppressed, but is subject to Sudakov suppression. We present estimates of the asymmetry (without and with Sudakov effects) for BNL RHIC at jet transverse momenta of similar to10 GeV and show that it may reach a few percent or more and could provide access to the gluon Sivers function.

Soft-Gluon Resummation and the Valence Parton Distribution Function of the Pion

We determine the valence parton distribution function of the pion by performing a new analysis of data for the Drell-Yan process π- N → μ+ μ- X. Compared to previous analyses, we include next-to-leading-logarithmic threshold resummation effects in the calculation of the Drell-Yan cross section. As a result of these, we find a considerably softer valence distribution at high momentum fractions x than obtained in previous next-to-leading-order analyses, in line with expectations based on perturbative-QCD counting rules or Dyson-Schwinger equations.

Probing gluonic spin-orbit correlations in photon pair production.

We consider photon pair production in hadronic collisions at large mass and small transverse momentum of the pair, assuming that factorization in terms of transverse-momentum dependent parton distributions applies. The unpolarized cross section is found to have azimuthal angular dependencies that are generated by a gluonic version of the Boer-Mulders function. In addition, the single transversely polarized cross section is sensitive to the gluon Sivers function. We present simple numerical estimates for the Boer-Mulders and Sivers effects in diphoton production at RHIC and find that the process would offer unique opportunities for exploring transverse-momentum dependent gluon distributions.

Approximate Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order Corrections to Hadronic Jet Production

We determine dominant next-to-next-to-leading order QCD corrections to single-inclusive jet production at the LHC and Tevatron, using the established threshold resummation framework. In contrast to previous literature on this topic, our study incorporates all of the following features: (1) It properly accounts for the way a jet is defined in experiment and treated in available full next-to-leading order calculations, (2) it includes the three leading classes of logarithmic terms in the perturbative expansion, and (3) it is adapted to the full kinematics in jet transverse momentum and rapidity relevant for experiments. A recent full next-to-next-to-leading order calculation in the purely gluonic channel allows us to assess the region where our approximate corrections provide an accurate description. We expect our results to be important on the way to precision jet phenomenology at the LHC and as a benchmark for further full next-to-next-to-leading order calculations.

Jet production in (un)polarized pp collisions: dependence on jet algorithm

We investigate single-inclusive high-pT jet production in longitudinally polarized pp collisions at RHIC, with particular focus on the algorithm adopted to define the jets. Following and extending earlier work in the literature, we treat the jets in the approximation that they are rather narrow, in which case analytical results for the corresponding next-to-leading order partonic cross sections can be obtained. This approximation is demonstrated to be very accurate for practically all relevant situations, even at Tevatron and LHC energies. We confront results for cross sections and spinasymmetries based on using cone- and kt-type jet algorithms. We find that jet cross sections at RHIC can differ significantly depending on the algorithm chosen, but that the spin asymmetries are rather robust. Our results are also useful for matching threshold-resummed calculations of jet cross sections to fixed-order ones.