The analyzing power in inclusive charged pion production has been measured using the 200 GeV Fermilab polarized proton beam. A striking dependence in x F is observed in which A N increases from 0 to 0.42 with increasing x F for the π + data and decreases from 0 to −0.38 with increasing x F for π − data. The kinematic range covered is 0.2⩽ x F ⩽0.9 and 0.2⩽ p T ⩽2.0 GeV / c . In a simple model our data indicate that at large x F the transverse spin of the proton is correlated with that of its quark constituents.
Results are presented from data recorded in 2009 by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider for the double-longitudinal spin asymmetry, $A_{LL}$, for $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ production in $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV polarized $p$$+$$p$ collisions. Comparison of the $\pi^0$ results with different theory expectations based on fits of other published data showed a preference for small positive values of gluon polarization, $\Delta G$, in the proton in the probed Bjorken $x$ range. The effect of adding the new 2009 \pz data to a recent global analysis of polarized scattering data is also shown, resulting in a best fit value $\Delta G^{[0.05,0.2]}_{\mbox{DSSV}} = 0.06^{+0.11}_{-0.15}$ in the range $0.05<x<0.2$, with the uncertainty at $\Delta \chi^2 = 9$ when considering only statistical experimental uncertainties. Shifting the PHENIX data points by their systematic uncertainty leads to a variation of the best-fit value of $\Delta G^{[0.05,0.2]}_{\mbox{DSSV}}$ between $0.02$ and $0.12$, demonstrating the need for full treatment of the experimental systematic uncertainties in future global analyses.
The π0 inclusive and semi-inclusive, single-spin asymmetries have been measured using transversely polarized, 200-GeV/c proton and antiproton beams colliding with an unpolarized hydrogen target. The measured asymmetries are consistent with zero within the experimental uncertainties for the kinematic region -0.15<xF<+0.15 and 1<pT<4.5 GeV/c. Improvements in the data analysis showed that our earlier large asymmetries at pT≳3 GeV/c were not correct. These data indicate that PQCD expectations seem confirmed and the higher-twist contribution to the single-spin asymmetry in π0 production at xF=0 is not large. Additional evidence for such a conclusion comes from the measurement of a semi-inclusive π0 asymmetry, where associated charged particles are detected opposite to the π0 azimuthal direction. This experiment also provides high-statistics data on the inclusive π0 cross sections for pp and p¯p collisions at √s≊19.4 GeV. © 1996 The American Physical Society.