New prospects for polarized hyperon fragmentation functions

Abstract

We study the inclusive production of $\Lambda$ ($\bar \Lambda$) in several high energy collision processes ($e^+e^-, e^{\pm}p, \nu (\bar \nu)p, pp$), in view of an accurate determination of the unpolarized and polarized fragmentation functions of a quark into a $\Lambda$ ($\bar \Lambda$). For polarized fragmentation functions the inaccuracy and the scarcity of present data do not allow to distinguish between various theoretical models. We will indicate how future measurements will provide ways to discriminate between them and also how to achieve a necessary quark flavor separation. A possible extension to the production of the other hyperons ($\Sigma^{\pm,0}, \Xi^{-,0}$), will be also briefly discussed.