Longitudinal double-spin asymmetry and cross section for inclusive jet production in polarized proton collisions at square root of s = 200 GeV

Phys Rev Lett. 2006 Dec 22;97(25):252001. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.252001. Epub 2006 Dec 18.

Abstract

We report a measurement of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry A(LL) and the differential cross section for inclusive midrapidity jet production in polarized proton collisions at square root of s = 200 GeV. The cross section data cover transverse momenta 5 < pT < 50 GeV/c and agree with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD evaluations. The A(LL) data cover 5 < pT < 17 GeV/c and disfavor at 98% C.L. maximal positive gluon polarization in the polarized nucleon.