The longitudinal polarization of hyperons in the forward region in polarized $pp$ collisions

TL;DR

This paper investigates hyperon polarization in polarized proton-proton collisions at RHIC, revealing how different models affect hyperon spin transfer and the potential to probe strange quark helicity distributions.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of hyperon polarization in the forward region, highlighting its sensitivity to spin transfer mechanisms and strange quark helicity distributions.

Findings

$ ext{Sigma}^+$ polarization distinguishes spin transfer models.

$ ext{Lambda}$ and $ar{ ext{Lambda}}$ polarization probes strange quark helicity.

Beam remnant effects on hyperon polarization are significant.

Abstract

We study the longitudinal polarization of hyperons and anti-hyperons at forward pseudorapidity, $2.5<\eta<4$, in singly polarized $pp$ collisions at RHIC energies by using different parameterizations of the polarized parton densities and different models for the polarized fragmentation functions. The results show that the $\Sigma^+$ polarization is able to distinguish different pictures on spin transfer in high energy fragmentation processes; and the polarization of $\Lambda$ and $\bar\Lambda$ hyperons can provide sensitivity to the helicity distribution of strange sea quarks. The influence from beam remnant to hyperon polarization in the forward region is also discussed.