Accessing Nucleon Transversity with One-Point Energy Correlators.

Area of Science:

• Particle Physics
• Quantum Chromodynamics
• Hadron Structure

Background:

• Understanding the nucleon's internal structure, particularly its three-dimensional aspects, is crucial in quantum chromodynamics.
• The nucleon's transversity distribution, h_{1}^{q}, describes the spin-momentum correlations of quarks within the nucleon.
• Traditional probes of hadron transverse momentum have limitations in kinematic range and systematic uncertainties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel observable, the one-point energy correlator (OPEC), as a probe for the nucleon's transversity distribution.
• To investigate the potential of OPEC to measure single-spin asymmetries (SSA) in transversely polarized proton-proton collisions.
• To establish a new, complementary channel for studying the nucleon's three-dimensional structure at high-energy colliders.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the one-point energy correlator (OPEC), an infrared-and-collinear safe jet substructure observable.
• Analyzing transversely polarized proton-proton collisions (p^{↑}p).
• Demonstrating the sin(ϕ_{s}-ϕ_{n}) angular dependence of the SSA in OPEC measurements.

Main Results:

• The OPEC exhibits a clear single-spin asymmetry (SSA) in transversely polarized p^{↑}p collisions.
• The SSA shows a characteristic sin(ϕ_{s}-ϕ_{n}) angular dependence.
• This method probes SSA over a significantly wider kinematic range compared to traditional j_{⊥} measurements.

Conclusions:

• The one-point energy correlator (OPEC) provides a novel and effective probe of the nucleon's transversity distribution.
• OPEC offers a complementary and systematically distinct channel for studying the nucleon's three-dimensional structure.
• This approach is applicable to current (RHIC) and future (electron-ion collider) experimental facilities.