Directed flow from parton spin-orbit coupling in $pp$ and $pA$ collisions

Abstract

We point out a novel mechanism to generate $\cos \ddot{I}•$ two-particle azimuthal correlation (`directed flow') in unpolarized proton-proton and proton-nucleus collisions in the forward rapidity region of the projectile proton. This is a direct consequence of the recently discovered strong spin-orbit coupling in gluons at small-$x$. The observable simultaneously serves as a unique probe into the double helicity parton distribution functions of the proton.

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