The exclusive reactions $\gamma p \to \bar K^0 K^+ n$ and $\gamma p \to \bar K^0 K^0 p$ have been studied in the photon energy range 1.6--3.8 GeV, searching for evidence of the exotic baryon ...$\Theta^+(1540)$ in the decays $\Theta^+\to nK^+$ and $\Theta^+\to p K^0$. Data were collected with the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The integrated luminosity was about 70 pb$^{-1}$. The reactions have been isolated by detecting the $K^+$ and proton directly, the neutral kaon via its decay to $K_S \to \pi^+ \pi^-$ and the neutron or neutral kaon via the missing mass technique. The mass and width of known hyperons such as $\Sigma^+$, $\Sigma^-$ and $\Lambda(1116)$ were used as a check of the mass determination accuracy and experimental resolution. Approximately 100,000 $\Lambda^*(1520)$'s and 150,000 $\phi$'s were observed in the $\bar K^0 K^+ n$ and $\bar K^0 K^0 p$ final state respectively. No evidence for the $\Theta^+$ pentaquark was found in the $nK^+$ or $pK_S$ invariant mass spectra. Upper limits were set on the production cross section of the reaction $\gamma p \to \Theta^+ \bar K^0$ as functions of center-of-mass angle, $nK^+$ and $pK_S$ masses. Combining the results of the two reactions, the 95% C.L. upper limit on the total cross section for a resonance peaked at 1540 MeV was found to be 0.7 nb. Within most of the available theoretical models, this corresponds to an upper limit on the $\Theta^+$ width, $\Gamma_{\Theta^{+}}$, ranging between 0.01 and 7 MeV.
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J.Phys.G29:R1,2003 Quantum Chromodynamics, the microscopic theory of strong interactions, has
not yet been applied to the calculation of nuclear wave functions. However, it
certainly provokes a ...number of specific questions and suggests the existence of
novel phenomena in nuclear physics which are not part of the the traditional
framework of the meson-nucleon description of nuclei. Many of these phenomena
are related to high nuclear densities and the role of color in nucleonic
interactions. Quantum fluctuations in the spatial separation between nucleons
may lead to local high density configurations of cold nuclear matter in nuclei,
up to four times larger than typical nuclear densities. We argue here that
experiments utilizing the higher energies available upon completion of the
Jefferson Laboratory energy upgrade will be able to probe the quark-gluon
structure of such high density configurations and therefore elucidate the
fundamental nature of nuclear matter. We review three key experimental
programs: quasi-elastic electro-disintegration of light nuclei, deep inelastic
scattering from nuclei at $x>1$, and the measurement of tagged structure
functions. These interrelated programs are all aimed at the exploration of the
quark structure of high density nuclear configurations.
The study of the QCD dynamics of elementary hard processes is another
important research direction and nuclei provide a unique avenue to explore
these dynamics. We argue that the use of nuclear targets and large values of
momentum transfer at would allow us to determine whether the physics of the
nucleon form factors is dominated by spatially small configurations of three
quarks.
Nucl.Phys. A580 (1994) 365-382 We propose that measuring the $Q^2$ dependence of the number of final-state
interactions of the recoil protons in quasi-elastic electron scattering from
light nuclei is ...a new method to investigate Color Coherent effects at {\bf
intermediate} values of $Q^2$ ({$\sim$ few $(GeV/c)^2$}). This is instead of
measuring events without final-state interactions. Our calculations indicate
that such measurements could reveal significant color transparency effects for
the highest of the energies initially available at CEBAF. Measurements that
detect more than one hadron in the final state, which require the use of large
acceptance ($4\pi$) detectors, are required.
We propose that measuring the \(Q^2\) dependence of the number of final-state interactions of the recoil protons in quasi-elastic electron scattering from light nuclei is a new method to investigate ...Color Coherent effects at {\bf intermediate} values of \(Q^2\) ({\(\sim\) few \((GeV/c)^2\)}). This is instead of measuring events without final-state interactions. Our calculations indicate that such measurements could reveal significant color transparency effects for the highest of the energies initially available at CEBAF. Measurements that detect more than one hadron in the final state, which require the use of large acceptance (\(4\pi\)) detectors, are required.
Quantum Chromodynamics, the microscopic theory of strong interactions, has not yet been applied to the calculation of nuclear wave functions. However, it certainly provokes a number of specific ...questions and suggests the existence of novel phenomena in nuclear physics which are not part of the the traditional framework of the meson-nucleon description of nuclei. Many of these phenomena are related to high nuclear densities and the role of color in nucleonic interactions. Quantum fluctuations in the spatial separation between nucleons may lead to local high density configurations of cold nuclear matter in nuclei, up to four times larger than typical nuclear densities. We argue here that experiments utilizing the higher energies available upon completion of the Jefferson Laboratory energy upgrade will be able to probe the quark-gluon structure of such high density configurations and therefore elucidate the fundamental nature of nuclear matter. We review three key experimental programs: quasi-elastic electro-disintegration of light nuclei, deep inelastic scattering from nuclei at \(x>1\), and the measurement of tagged structure functions. These interrelated programs are all aimed at the exploration of the quark structure of high density nuclear configurations. The study of the QCD dynamics of elementary hard processes is another important research direction and nuclei provide a unique avenue to explore these dynamics. We argue that the use of nuclear targets and large values of momentum transfer at would allow us to determine whether the physics of the nucleon form factors is dominated by spatially small configurations of three quarks.
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