Quarkonium Polarization in the NRQCD Factorization Framework

Abstract

The NRQCD factorization approach for calculating inclusive production of heavy quarkonium gives unambiguous predictions for the polarization of quarkonium states. The factorization formula for polarized states can be obtained by using the threshold expansion method to calculate the short-distance coefficients and then using symmetries of NRQD to reduce the NRQCD matrix elements. A particularly dramatic prediction of the NRQCD factorization framework is that prompt psi's and psi-primes's produced at the Tevatron should be predominantly transversely polarized at large transverse momentum.