Work

Transverse-spin dependent energy-energy correlators in proton-proton collisions within the dihadron fragmentation framework

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We calculate energy-energy correlations for two hadrons produced inside a jet in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions. We make numerical predictions based on a simple model that utilizes a previous global QCD analysis of dihadron fragmentation and transversity parton distribution functions. The results show remarkable agreement with a very recent STAR measurement. We also find the data at large jet transverse momentum have a slight preference for extractions of transversity that are consistent with lattice QCD computations of the nucleon tensor charges. Overall, this work provides further evidence for the underlying non-perturbative mechanism of near-side energy-energy correlators as well as highlights the potential for these observables to probe transverse-spin effects inside the nucleon.

Source: Physics Letters B

DOI: 10.1016/j.physletb.2026.141004

Authors: Zhong-Bo Kang, Andreas Metz, Daniel Pitonyak, Congyue Zhang

Institutions: University of California, Los Angeles, Stony Brook University, Temple University, Lebanon Valley College

Language: English

Topic: Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: National Science Foundation

Awards: Hard Scattering Processes in QCD, QCD Dynamics and Nucleon Structure, RUI: Hadronic Structure from Spin Observables in pQCD, RUI: Hadronic Structure from Spin Observables in pQCD