Quark phase-space distributions and orbital angular momentum

Abstract

We discuss the Wigner functions of the nucleon which provide multi-dimensional images of the quark distributions in phase space. They combine in a single picture all the information contained in the generalized parton distributions (GPDs) and the transverse-momentum dependent parton distributions (TMDs). In particular, we present results for the distribution of unpolarized quarks in a longitudinally polarized nucleon obtained in a light-cone constituent quark model. We show how quark orbital angular momentum can be extracted from these distributions and compare it with alternative definitions given in terms of the GPDs and the TMDs.