We report the first longitudinal-transverse separation of the deeply virtual exclusive π0 electroproduction cross section off the neutron and coherent deuteron. The corresponding four structure ...functions dσL/dt, dσT/dt, dσLT/dt, and dσTT/dt are extracted as a function of the momentum transfer to the recoil system at Q2=1.75 GeV2 and xB=0.36. The ed→edπ0 cross sections are found compatible with the small values expected from theoretical models. The en→enπ0 cross sections show a dominance from the response to transversely polarized photons, and are in good agreement with calculations based on the transversity generalized parton distributions of the nucleon. By combining these results with previous measurements of π0 electroproduction off the proton, we present a flavor decomposition of the u and d quark contributions to the cross section
We report measurements of the exclusive neutral pion electroproduction cross section off protons at large values of xB (0.36, 0.48, and 0.60) and Q2 (3.1 to 8.4 GeV2) obtained from Jefferson Lab ...Hall A experiment E12-06-014. The corresponding structure functions dσT/ d t + ε dσL/ d t , dσTT / d t , d σ L T / d t , and d σ L T ′ / d t are extracted as a function of the proton momentum transfer t−tmin. The results suggest the amplitude for transversely polarized virtual photons continues to dominate the cross section throughout this kinematic range. The data are well described by calculations based on transversity generalized parton distributions coupled to a helicity flip distribution amplitude of the pion, thus providing a unique way to probe the structure of the nucleon.
We report the results of a new Rosenbluth measurement of the proton electromagnetic form factors at Q2 values of 2.64, 3.20, and 4.10 GeV2. Cross sections were determined by detecting the recoiling ...proton, in contrast to previous measurements which detected the scattered electron. Cross sections were determined to 3%, with relative uncertainties below 1%. The ratio mu(p)G(E)/G(M) was determined to 4%-8% and showed mu(p)G(E)/G(M) approximately 1. These results are consistent with, and much more precise than, previous Rosenbluth extractions. They are inconsistent with recent polarization transfer measurements of similar precision, implying a systematic difference between the techniques.
The {sup 1}H(e,e{sup '}{pi}{sup +})n cross section was measured at four-momentum transfers of Q{sup 2}=1.60 and 2.45 GeV{sup 2} at an invariant mass of the photon nucleon system of W=2.22 GeV. The ...charged pion form factor (F{sub {pi}}) was extracted from the data by comparing the separated longitudinal pion electroproduction cross section to a Regge model prediction in which F{sub {pi}} is a free parameter. The results indicate that the pion form factor deviates from the charge-radius constrained monopole form at these values of Q{sup 2} by one sigma, but is still far from its perturbative quantum chromodynamics prediction.
We report a precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry A PV in the elastic scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from 208 Pb . We measure APV=550±16(stat)±8(syst) parts per ...billion, leading to an extraction of the neutral weak form factor FW(Q2=0.00616 GeV2)=0.368±0.013 . Combined with our previous measurement, the extracted neutron skin thickness is Rn−Rp=0.283±0.071 fm. The result also yields the first significant direct measurement of the interior weak density of 208 Pb: ρW0=− 0.0796 ± 0.0036 ( exp ) ± 0.0013 ( theo ) fm−3 leading to the interior baryon density ρb0 = 0.1480 ± 0.0036 ( exp ) ± 0.0013 ( theo ) fm −3. The measurement accurately constrains the density dependence of the symmetry energy of nuclear matter near saturation density, with implications for the size and composition of neutron stars.
Backward-angle meson electroproduction above the resonance region, which was previously ignored, is anticipated to offer unique access to the three quark plus sea component of the nucleon wave ...function. In this Letter, we present the first complete separation of the four electromagnetic structure functions above the resonance region in exclusive ω electroproduction off the proton, ep → e'pω , at central Q2 values of 1.60, 2.45 GeV2 , at W=2.21 GeV . The results of our pioneering -u≈-umin study demonstrate the existence of a unanticipated backward-angle cross section peak and the feasibility of full L / T / LT / TT separations in this never explored kinematic territory. At Q2=2.45 GeV2 , the observed dominance of σT over σL , is qualitatively consistent with the collinear QCD description in the near-backward regime, in which the scattering amplitude factorizes into a hard subprocess amplitude and baryon to meson transition distribution amplitudes: universal nonperturbative objects only accessible through backward-angle kinematics.
Background: Measurements of exclusive meson production are a valuable tool in the study of hadronic structure. Specifically, one can discern the relevant degrees of freedom at different distance ...scales through these studies. Purpose: To study the transition between non-perturbative and perturbative Quantum Chromodyanmics as the square of four momentum transfer to the struck proton, –t, is increased. Method: Cross sections for the 1H(e,e'π+)n reaction were measured over the –t range of 0.272 to 2.127 GeV2with limited azimuthal coverage at fixed beam energy of 4.709 GeV, Q2 of 2.4 GeV2 and W of 2.0 GeV at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) Hall C. Results: The –t dependence of the measured π+ electroproduction cross section generally agrees with prior data from JLab Halls B and C. The data are consistent with a Regge amplitude based theoretical model, but show poor agreement with a Generalized Parton Distribution (GPD) based model. Conclusion: The agreement of cross sections with prior data suggests small contribution from the interference terms, and the confirmation of the change in t-slopes between the low- and high -–t regions previously observed in photoproduction indicates the changing nature of the electroproduction reaction in our kinematic regime.
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