Nucleon spin densities in a light-front constituent quark model

The first moment of longitudinal and transverse spin densities of quarks in the nucleon are calculated in a light-front constituent quark model for the different cases of quark and nucleon polarization. Significant distortions are found for the transverse spin densities. In particular the Sivers function is predicted with opposite sign for up and down quarks and the Boer–Mulders function is predicted large and negative for both up and down quarks, in agreement with lattice calculations. Quite a different spin distribution is obtained for up and down quarks in the cases of quarks and proton transversely or longitudinally polarized in the same direction.