Extraction of the distribution function $h^{\perp}_{1T}$ from experimental data

TL;DR

This paper extracts the pretzelosity distribution function from experimental data, revealing initial tendencies of up and down quark behaviors, and estimates their orbital angular momentum contributions.

Contribution

First extraction of the pretzelosity distribution from experimental data, providing insights into quark spin-orbit correlations.

Findings

Up-quark pretzelosity tends to be positive.

Down-quark pretzelosity tends to be negative.

Estimated quark orbital angular momentum contributions.

Abstract

We attempt an extraction of the pretzelosity distribution ($h^{\perp}_{1T}$) from preliminary COMPASS, HERMES, and JLAB experimental data on $\sin(3\phi_h - \phi_S)$ asymmetry on proton, and effective deuteron and neutron targets. The resulting distributions, albeit with big errors, for the first time show tendency for up-quark pretzelosity to be positive and down-quark pretzelosity to be negative. A model relation of pretzelosity distribution and orbital angular momentum of quarks is used to estimate contributions of up and down quarks.