Polarized coincidence electroproduction scaling laws for the final state

Abstract

We study the inclusive electroproduction of single hadrons off a polarized target. Bjorken scaling laws and the hadron azimuthal distribution are derived from the quark parton model. The polarization asymmetries scale when the target spin is along the direction of the virtual photon, and (apart from one significant exception) vanish for transverse spin. These results have a simple explanation; emphasis is given both to the general mathematical formalism and to intuitive physical reasoning. Through this framework we consider other cases: quarks with anomalous magnetic moment; renormalization group effects and asymptotic freedom; production of vector mesons (whose spin state is analysed by their decay); relation to large transverse momentum hadron production; and a covariant parton model calculation. We also look into spin-0 partons and Regge singularities. All of these cases (apart from the last two) modify the pattern of conclusions. Vector meson production shows polarization enhancements in the density matrix element ϱ 0+; the renormalization group approach does not lead to any significant suppressions. They are also less severe in parton models for large p T hadrons, and are not supported by the covariantly formulated calculation. The origins of these differences are isolated and used to exemplify the sensitivity that polarized hadron electroproduction has to delicate detail that is otherwise concealed.