Production of Polarized Particles in Nuclear Reactions

A general calculation of the polarization resulting from nuclear reactions is made by means of the $S$ matrix and Racah formalisms. All sums over magnetic quantum numbers are performed; and the resulting polarization is expressed as a series in associated Legendre polynomials, each coefficient being manifestly real. All selection rules follow immediately from the requirements for the nonvanishing of the Racah and $X$ coefficients. The only restriction required is to a two-body break-up.