Spin alignment of vector mesons in heavy ion and proton-proton collisions

The spin alignment matrix element ρ00 for the vector mesons K∗0 and ϕ(1020) has been measured in RHIC at central rapidities. These measurements are consistent with the absence of polarization with respect to the reaction plane in mid-central Au+Au collisions whereas, when measured with respect to the production plane in the same reactions and in p+p collisions, a non-vanishing and p⊥-dependent ρ00 is found. We show that this behavior can be understood in a simple model of vector meson production where the spin of their constituent quarks is oriented during hadronization as the result of Thomas precession.