Associated $J/\psi + \gamma$ production as a probe of the polarized gluon distribution

Abstract

Associated production of $J/\psi$ and a $\gamma$ has recently been proposed as clean probe of the gluon distribution. The same mechanism can be used to probe the polarized gluon content of the proton in polarized proton-proton collisions. We study $J/\psi + \gamma$ production at both polarized fixed target and polarized collider energies.