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Title: Measurement of transverse single-spin asymmetries for J/psi production in polarized p plus p collisions at root s=200 GeV

Journal Article · · Physical Review. D, Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology

We report the first measurement of transverse single-spin asymmetries in J/{psi} production from transversely polarized p+p collisions at {radical}s = 200 GeV with data taken by the PHENIX experiment in 2006 and 2008. The measurement was performed over the rapidity ranges 1.2 < |y| < 2.2 and |y| < 0.35 for transverse momenta up to 6 GeV/c. J/{psi} production at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider is dominated by processes involving initial-state gluons, and transverse single-spin asymmetries of the J/{psi} can provide access to gluon dynamics within the nucleon. Such asymmetries may also shed light on the long-standing question in QCD of the J/{psi} production mechanism. Asymmetries were obtained as a function of J/{psi} transverse momentum and Feynman-x, with a value of -0.086 {+-} 0.026{sup stat} {+-} 0.003{sup syst} in the forward region. This result suggests possible nonzero trigluon correlation functions in transversely polarized protons and, if well defined in this reaction, a nonzero gluon Sivers distribution function.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE - OFFICE OF SCIENCE
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
1020909
Report Number(s):
BNL-94796-2011-JA; PRVDAQ; R&D Project: PO 003; KB0201021; TRN: US1103889
Journal Information:
Physical Review. D, Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology, Vol. 82, Issue 11; ISSN 1550-7998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English