Transverse-spin-dependent azimuthal asymmetries of pion and kaon pairs produced in muon-proton and muon-deuteron semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering

A set of measurements of azimuthal asymmetries in the production of pairs of identified hadrons in deep-inelastic scattering of muons on transversely polarised 6LiD (deuteron) and NH3 (proton) targets is presented. All available data collected in the years 2002–2004 and 2007/2010 with the COMPASS spectrometer using a muon beam of 160 GeV=c at the CERN SPS were analysed. The asymmetries provide access to the transversity distribution functions via a fragmentation function that in principle may be independently obtained from e+e- annihilation data. Results are presented, discussed and compared to existing measurements as well as to model predictions. Asymmetries of pi+pi- pairs measured with the proton target as a function of the Bjorken scaling variable are sizeable in the range x > 0:032, indicating non-vanishing transversity distribution and di-hadron interference fragmentation functions. As already pointed out by several authors, the small asymmetries of pi+pi- measured on the 6LiD target can be interpreted as indication for a cancellation of u and d-quark transversity distributions.