Single Spin Asymmetries in Inclusive Hadron Production

Abstract

We consider a general formalism, previously developed to describe single spin asymmetries (SSA) in inclusive particle production at moderately large $p_T$ in hadron-hadron high-energy processes. In this approach SSA can originate from non perturbative, universal, quark distribution analyzing powers, provided the quark intrinsic motion is taken into account. A fit of the available data on $p^\uparrow p \to \pi X$ fixes simplified phenomenological expressions of these quark analyzing powers for the dominant (at large $x_F$) $u$ and $d$ quark contributions. We use the results of the fit as input to provide a possible scenario for SSA in a number of interesting processes (e.g. $p p \to \gamma X$, $p p \to K X$) for which experimental results are or will soon be available.