Gamma^*, Z^* production in polarised p-p scattering as a probe of the proton spin structure

Abstract

We present the results of a detailed study of the large transverse momentum Drell-Yan process, pp --> (Gamma^*, Z^*)X --> l^+l^- X at collider energies, with either one or both protons polarised, allowing the study of single- and double-spin asymmetries respectively. We show how these asymmetries obtained from angular distributions of the leptons in the Gamma^* (or Z^*) rest-frame, can be used to get information on the polarised parton distributions. Numerical results for the asymmetries and the cross-sections are presented, and the sensitivity of the asymmetries to the initial parton distributions indicates that these can be used as effective probes of the spin structure of the proton.