Analytic approaches to the evolution of polarised parton distributions at small x

The Q2 evolution of polarised parton distributions at small x is studied. Various analytic approximations are critically discussed. We compare the full evolution with that obtained from the leading-pole approximation to the splitting functions, and show that the validity of this approximation depends critically on the x → 0 behaviour of the starting distributions. A new analytic solution which is valid at small x is obtained, and its domain, and its domain of applicability is discussed.