Transverse Lambda polarization in unpolarized semi-inclusive DIS

Abstract

The long-standing problem of transverse Lambda polarization in high-energy collisions of unpolarized hadrons can be tackled by considering new, spin and k_T-dependent quark fragmentation functions for an unpolarized quark into a polarized, spin-1/2 hadron. Simple phenomenological parameterizations of these new "polarizing fragmentation functions", which describe quite well the experimental data on Lambda and Lambda-bar hyperons produced in p-A processes, are utilized and extended here to give predictions for transverse Lambda polarization in semi-inclusive DIS

LaTeX, 4 pages, 2 ps figures, uses sprocl.sty and epsfig.sty; Talk delivered by F. Murgia at the IX International Workshop on Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS2001), Bologna, 27 April - 1 May 2001