Single-Spin Asymmetries in $p^{\uparrow }p\to \pi X$ and Chiral Symmetry

Abstract

We study a possible origin of single spin asymmetries in the large $p_T$ inclusive production of hadrons in the scattering of unpolarized protons or leptons on transversely polarized nucleons. Such asymmetry is related to the single-spin asymmetry for the process ${\text{p}}^{\uparrow }\to q+X$ or, equivalently, to the off-diagonal matrix element of the quark density operator $\bar{\psi }{\gamma }^{+}\psi$; this quantity need not be zero if transverse momentum and spin-isospin interactions are taken into account. The different signs for the large single spin asymmetries observed in ${\text{p}}^{\uparrow }p\to {\pi }^{+}X$ and ${\text{p}}^{\uparrow }p\to {\pi }^{-}X$ can be explained as a consequence of chiral symmetry. Crucial tests of the model are suggested.

Comments: REVTEX, 7 pages, no figures