Search Results (24 total)

We have measured the nuclear transparency of the A(e,e^′π⁺) process in ²H, ¹²C, ²⁷Al, ⁶³Cu, and ¹⁹⁷Au targets. These measurements were performed at the Jefferson Laboratory over a four momentum transfer squared range Q²=1.1 to 4.7  (GeV/c)². The nuclear transparency was extracted as the super-ratio of (σ_A/σ_H) from data to a model of pion-electroproduction from nuclei without π-N final-state interactions. The Q² and atomic number dependence of the nuclear transparency both show deviations from traditional nuclear physics expectations and are consistent with calculations that include the quantum chromodynamical phenomenon of color transparency.

Kaon electroproduction from light nuclei and hydrogen, using ¹H, ²H, ³He, ⁴He, and carbon targets has been measured at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The quasifree angular distributions of Λ and Σ hyperons were determined at Q²=0.35 (GeV/c)² and W=1.91 GeV. Electroproduction on hydrogen was measured at the same kinematics for reference.

We have measured the beam-normal single-spin asymmetry in elastic scattering of transversely polarized 3 GeV electrons from unpolarized protons at Q²=0.15, 0.25  (GeV/c)². The results are inconsistent with calculations solely using the elastic nucleon intermediate state and generally agree with calculations with significant inelastic hadronic intermediate state contributions. A_n provides a direct probe of the imaginary component of the 2γ exchange amplitude, the complete description of which is important in the interpretation of data from precision electron-scattering experiments.

The data analysis for the reaction ¹H(e,e^'π⁺)n, which was used to determine values for the charged pion form factor F_π for values of Q²= 0.6–1.6 GeV², has been repeated with careful inspection of all steps and special attention to systematic uncertainties. Also the method used to extract F_π from the measured longitudinal cross section was critically reconsidered. Final values for the separated longitudinal and transverse cross sections and the extracted values of F_π are presented.

A large data set of charged-pion (π^±) electroproduction from both hydrogen and deuterium targets has been obtained spanning the low-energy residual-mass region. These data conclusively show the onset of the quark-hadron duality phenomenon, as predicted for high-energy hadron electroproduction. We construct several ratios from these data to exhibit the relation of this phenomenon to the high-energy factorization ansatz of electron-quark scattering and subsequent quark→pion production mechanisms.

The ¹H(e,e^′π⁺)n cross section was measured at four-momentum transfers of Q²=1.60 and 2.45  GeV² at an invariant mass of the photon nucleon system of W=2.22  GeV. The charged pion form factor (F_π) was extracted from the data by comparing the separated longitudinal pion electroproduction cross section to a Regge model prediction in which F_π is a free parameter. The results indicate that the pion form factor deviates from the charge-radius constrained monopole form at these values of Q² by one sigma, but is still far from its perturbative quantum chromodynamics prediction.

A pioneering experiment in Λ hypernuclear spectroscopy, undertaken at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab), was recently reported. The experiment used the high precision, continuous electron beam at JLab, and a special arrangement of spectrometer magnets to measure the hypernuclear spectrum from C and ⁷Li targets using the (e,e'K⁺) reaction. The _Λ¹²B spectrum found in this investigation was previously published, but is reported here in more detail, with improved resolution. In addition, the results of a _Λ⁷He spectrum also obtained in the experiment, are shown. This latter spectrum indicates the need for a more detailed few-body calculation of the hypernucleus and the reaction process. The success of the experiment demonstrates the potential of the (e,e'K⁺) reaction for high resolution spectroscopy of hypernuclear spectra.

We report values for the neutron electric to magnetic form factor ratio, G_En/G_Mn, deduced from measurements of the neutron's recoil polarization in the quasielastic ²H(e→,e^'n→)¹H reaction, at three Q² values of 0.45, 1.13, and 1.45 (GeV/c)². The data at Q²=1.13 and 1.45 (GeV/c)² are the first direct experimental measurements of G_En employing polarization degrees of freedom in the Q²>1 (GeV/c)² region and stand as the most precise determinations of G_En for all values of Q².

We have measured parity-violating asymmetries in elastic electron-proton scattering over the range of momentum transfers 0.12≤Q²≤1.0  GeV². These asymmetries, arising from interference of the electromagnetic and neutral weak interactions, are sensitive to strange-quark contributions to the currents of the proton. The measurements were made at Jefferson Laboratory using a toroidal spectrometer to detect the recoiling protons from a liquid hydrogen target. The results indicate nonzero, Q² dependent, strange-quark contributions and provide new information beyond that obtained in previous experiments.

Electroproduction of the ω meson was investigated in the ¹H(e,e^′p)ω reaction. The measurement was performed at a four-momentum transfer Q²≈0.5  GeV². Angular distributions of the virtual photon-proton center-of-momentum cross sections have been extracted over the full angular range. These distributions exhibit a strong enhancement over t-channel parity exchange processes in the backward direction. According to a newly developed electroproduction model, this enhancement provides significant evidence of resonance formation in the γ*p→ωp reaction channel.

We report on precision measurements of the elastic cross section for electron-proton scattering performed in Hall C at Jefferson Lab. The measurements were made at 28 distinct kinematic settings covering a range in momentum transfer of 0.4<Q²<5.5  (GeV∕c)². These measurements represent a significant contribution to the world’s cross section data set in the Q² range, where a large discrepancy currently exists between the ratio of electric to magnetic proton form factors extracted from previous cross section measurements and that recently measured via polarization transfer in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. This data set shows good agreement with previous cross section measurements, indicating that if a heretofore unknown systematic error does exist in the cross section measurements, then it is intrinsic to all such measurements.

The electric form factor of the neutron was determined from measurements of the d→(e→,e^′n)p reaction for quasielastic kinematics. Polarized electrons were scattered off a polarized deuterated ammonia (¹⁵ND₃) target in which the deuteron polarization was perpendicular to the momentum transfer. The scattered electrons were detected in a magnetic spectrometer in coincidence with neutrons in a large solid angle detector. We find G_Eⁿ=0.0526±0.0033(stat)±0.0026(sys) and 0.0454±0.0054±0.0037 at Q²=0.5 and 1.0  (GeV/c)², respectively.

We report the results from a systematic study of the quasielastic (e,e^′p) reaction on ¹²C,  ⁵⁶Fe, and ¹⁹⁷Au performed at Jefferson Lab. We have measured nuclear transparency and extracted spectral functions (corrected for radiation) over a Q² range of 0.64–3.25  (GeV∕c)² for all three nuclei. In addition, we have extracted separated longitudinal and transverse spectral functions at Q² of 0.64 and 1.8  (GeV∕c)² for these three nuclei (except for ¹⁹⁷Au at the higher Q²). The spectral functions are compared to a number of theoretical calculations. The measured spectral functions differ in detail but not in overall shape from most of the theoretical models. In all three targets the measured spectral functions show considerable excess transverse strength at Q²=0.64  (GeV∕c)², which is much reduced at 1.8  (GeV∕c)².

We report new measurements of the ratio of the electric form factor to the magnetic form factor of the neutron, G_Eⁿ/G_Mⁿ, obtained via recoil polarimetry from the quasielastic ²H(e→,e^′n→)¹H reaction at Q² values of 0.45, 1.13, and 1.45   (GeV/c)² with relative statistical uncertainties of 7.6% and 8.4% at the two higher Q² points, which points have never been achieved in polarization measurements.

High-energy, cw electron beams at new accelerator facilities allow electromagnetic production and precision study of hypernuclear structure, and we report here on the first experiment demonstrating the potential of the (e,e^′K⁺) reaction for hypernuclear spectroscopy. This experiment is also the first to take advantage of the enhanced virtual photon flux available when electrons are scattered at approximately zero degrees. The observed energy resolution was found to be ≈900  keV for the _Λ¹²B spectrum, and is substantially better than any previous hypernuclear experiment using magnetic spectrometers. The positions of the major excitations are found to be in agreement with a theoretical prediction and with a previous binding energy measurement, but additional structure is also observed in the core excited region, underlining the future promise of this technique.

The quasielastic (e,e^′p) reaction was studied on targets of deuterium, carbon, and iron up to a value of momentum transfer Q² of 8.1 (GeV/c)². A nuclear transparency was determined by comparing the data to calculations in the plane-wave impulse approximation. The dependence of the nuclear transparency on Q² and the mass number A was investigated in a search for the onset of the color transparency phenomenon. We find no evidence for the onset of color transparency within our range of Q². A fit to the world’s nuclear transparency data reflects the energy dependence of the free-proton–nucleon cross section.

The coherent ³He(e,e^′π⁺)³H reaction was measured at Q²=0.4 (GeV/c)² and W=1.6 GeV for two values of the virtual photon polarization, ε, allowing the separation of longitudinal and transverse cross sections. The results from the coherent process on ³He were compared to H(e,e^′π⁺)n data taken at the same kinematics. This marks the first direct comparison of these processes. At these kinematics (p_π=1.1 GeV/c), pion rescattering from the spectator nucleons in the ³He(e,e^′π⁺)³H process is expected to be small, simplifying the comparison to π⁺ production from the free proton.

Separated longitudinal and transverse cross sections for charged pion electroproduction from ¹H, ²H, and ³He were measured at Q²  =  0.4 (GeV/c)² for two values of the invariant mass, W  =  1.15 GeV and W  =  1.60 GeV, in a search for a mass dependence which would signal the effect of nuclear pions. This is the first such study that includes recoil momenta significantly above the Fermi surface. The longitudinal cross section, if dominated by the pion-pole process, should be sensitive to nuclear pion currents. Comparisons of the longitudinal cross section target ratios to a quasifree calculation reveal a significant suppression in ³He at W  =  1.60 GeV. The W  =  1.15 GeV results are consistent with simple estimates of the effect of nuclear pion currents, but are also consistent with pure quasifree production.

The first measurements of the d(γ,p)n differential cross section at forward angles and photon energies above 4 GeV were performed at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). The results indicate evidence of an angular dependent scaling threshold. Results at θ_cm  =  37° are consistent with the constituent counting rules for E_γ≳4 GeV, while those at 70° are consistent with the constituent counting rules for E_γ≳1.5 GeV.

We report the first measurement using a solid polarized target of the neutron electric form factor G_Eⁿ via d→(e→,e^′n)p. G_Eⁿ was determined from the beam-target asymmetry in the scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from polarized deuterated ammonia ( ¹⁵ND₃). The measurement was performed in Hall C at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in quasifree kinematics with the target polarization perpendicular to the momentum transfer. The electrons were detected in a magnetic spectrometer in coincidence with neutrons in a large solid angle segmented detector. We find G_Eⁿ  =  0.04632±0.00616(stat)±0.00341(syst) at Q²  =  0.495 (GeV/c)².

Separated longitudinal and transverse structure functions for the reaction ¹H(e,e^′π⁺)n were measured in the momentum transfer region Q²  =  0.6–1.6 (GeV/c)² at a value of the invariant mass W  =  1.95 GeV. New values for the pion charge form factor were extracted from the longitudinal cross section by using a recently developed Regge model. The results indicate that the pion form factor in this region is larger than previously assumed and is consistent with a monopole parametrization fitted to very low Q² elastic data.

A separation of the longitudinal and transverse ¹²C(e,e^′p) cross sections in the quasifree region has been performed in parallel kinematics at Q² of 0.64 and 1.8 GeV² for initial proton momentum <80 MeV. The separated transverse and longitudinal spectral functions at Q²=0.64 GeV² show significant differences for missing energy between 25 and 60 MeV indicating a breakdown in the single nucleon knockout picture. The transverse spectral functions exhibit definite momentum transfer dependence.

The differential cross section for the process p(e,e^′p)η has been measured at Q²=2.4 and 3.6 (GeV/c)² at center-of-mass energies encompassing the S₁₁(1535) resonance. The latter point is the highest-Q² exclusive measurement of this process to date. The resonance width and the helicity-1/2 transition amplitude are extracted from the data, and evidence for the possible onset of scaling in this reaction is shown. A lower bound of ≈0.45 is placed on the S₁₁(1535)→pη branching fraction.

The ( e,e^′p) reaction was studied on targets of C, Fe, and Au at momentum transfers squared Q² of 0.6, 1.3, 1.8, and 3.3 GeV² in a region of kinematics dominated by quasifree electron-proton scattering. Missing energy and missing momentum distributions are reasonably well described by plane wave impulse approximation calculations with Q² and A dependent corrections that measure the attenuation of the final state protons.