Using the latest quark Sivers functions extracted from the global analysis of available data on single transverse spin asymmetry (SSA), we calculate the SSA of Drell-Yan inclusive production of lepton pairs of invariant mass $Q$ at both $4<Q<9\mathrm{GeV}$ and $Q\sim M_Z$ in $p^{\uparrow }p$ collisions at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider energies. We find that the features of the asymmetry $A_N$ for $Q\sim M_Z$ are significantly different from that when $4<Q<9\mathrm{GeV}$. The $A_N$ near $Z^0$ pole is positive and sizable in the central rapidity region, while the $A_N$ at low $Q$ is negative and only sizable in the forward rapidity region. We show that the size of $A_N$ is sufficiently large for a wide range of $Q$ around the $Z^0$ pole, and even with the lepton pair’s invariant mass integrated from $Q=70\mathrm{GeV}$ to 110 GeV, the $A_N$ is still close to 10% for the central and near forward rapidity region. We argue that the SSAs of Drell-Yan inclusive dilepton production at low $Q$, and that near the $Z^0$ pole, provide complementary information for testing the time-reversal modified universality (the sign change) of the Sivers functions.

• Received 11 December 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.81.054020