Nucleon Transversity and Hyperon Polarization

TL;DR

This paper investigates hyperon polarization in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering to propose a method for extracting the nucleon's transversity distribution, highlighting the significance of Sigma hyperons over Lambda hyperons.

Contribution

It introduces a calculation using SU(6) wavefunctions and the spectator model to compare hyperon polarizations, identifying Sigma hyperons as more effective probes for transversity.

Findings

H1(z) of Sigma hyperons is significantly larger than that of Lambda hyperons.

Measuring Sigma hyperon polarization is more efficient for extracting transversity.

The study provides theoretical support for experimental focus on Sigma hyperons.

Abstract

We calculate the transverse polarizations of the produced hyperons in the semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering of unpolarized lepton beam on transversely polarized nucleon, since these polarizations provide a potential method for extracting the transversity distribution h1(x) of the nucleon. In this calculation we use the SU(6) wavefunctions of the octet baryons and the spectator model for the distribution functions of nucleons and the fragmentation functions of hyperons. We find that that H1(z) of the Sigma hyperons are much larger than that of the Lambda hyperon. Therefore, when one tries to extract the transversity distribution h1(x) from the hyperon polarizations, measuring the polarizations of the Sigma hyperons is more efficient than Lambda.