Rankin-Selberg L-Functions for GSpin x GL Groups

We construct an integral representation for the global Rankin-Selberg (partial) $L$-function $L(s,\pi \times \tau )$ where $\pi$ is an irreducible globally generic cuspidal automorphic representation of a general spin group (over an arbitrary number field) and $\tau$ is one of a general linear group, generalizing the works of Gelbart, Piatetski-Shapiro, Rallis, Ginzburg, Soudry and Kaplan among others. We consider all ranks and both even and odd general spin groups including the quasi-split forms. The resulting facts about the location of poles of $L(s,\pi \times \tau )$ have, in particular, important consequences in describing the image of the Langlands funtorial transfer from the general spin groups to general linear groups.