We construct two sets of twist-3 correlation functions that are responsible for generating the novel single transverse-spin asymmetry in the QCD collinear factorization approach. We derive evolution equations for these universal three-parton correlation functions. We calculate evolution kernels relevant to the gluonic pole contributions to the asymmetry at the order of ${\alpha }_s$. We find that all evolution kernels are infrared safe as they should be and have a lot in common with the Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Alterelli-Parisi evolution kernels of unpolarized parton distributions. By solving the evolution equations, we explicitly demonstrate the factorization scale dependence of these twist-3 correlation functions.

• Received 3 December 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.79.016003