Collins effect in semi-inclusive deeply inelastic scattering and in electron positron annihilation

Abstract

The Collins fragmentation function is extracted from HERMES data on azimuthal single spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deeply inelastic scattering, and BELLE data on azimuthal asymmetries in electron positron annihilations. A Gaussian model is assumed for the distribution of transverse parton momenta and predictions are used from the chiral quark-soliton model for the transversity distribution function. We find that the HERMES and BELLE data yield a consistent picture of the Collins fragmentation function which is compatible with COMPASS data and the information previously obtained from an analysis of DELPHI data. Estimates for future experiments are made.