The longitudinal polarization of hyperons in the forward region in polarized $pp$ collisions

Abstract

We study the longitudinal polarization of hyperons and anti-hyperons at forward pseudorapidity, $2.5<\eta<4$, in singly polarized $pp$ collisions at RHIC energies by using different parameterizations of the polarized parton densities and different models for the polarized fragmentation functions. The results show that the $\Sigma^+$ polarization is able to distinguish different pictures on spin transfer in high energy fragmentation processes; and the polarization of $\Lambda$ and $\bar\Lambda$ hyperons can provide sensitivity to the helicity distribution of strange sea quarks. The influence from beam remnant to hyperon polarization in the forward region is also discussed.