Longitudinal double-spin asymmetry and cross section for inclusive jet production in polarized proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV

TL;DR

This paper presents measurements of the double-spin asymmetry and cross section for inclusive jet production in polarized proton collisions at 200 GeV, providing insights into gluon polarization within the proton.

Contribution

It reports the first measurement of A_LL and cross sections for inclusive jet production at this energy, testing gluon polarization models with experimental data.

Findings

Cross section data agree with next-to-leading order QCD.

A_LL data disfavor maximal positive gluon polarization at 98% confidence level.

Results constrain models of gluon polarization in the proton.

Abstract

We report a measurement of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry A_LL and the differential cross section for inclusive midrapidity jet production in polarized proton collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV. The cross section data cover transverse momenta 5 < pT < 50 GeV/c and agree with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD evaluations. The A_LL data cover 5 < pT < 17 GeV/c and disfavor at 98% C.L. maximal positive gluon polarization in the polarized nucleon.