Single-spin asymmetries for pions and charged kaons are measured in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of positrons and electrons off a transversely nuclear-polarized hydrogen target. The ...dependence of the cross section on the azimuthal angles of the target polarization (ϕS) and the produced hadron (ϕ) is found to have a substantial sin(ϕ+ϕS) modulation for the production of π+, π− and K+. This Fourier component can be interpreted in terms of non-zero transversity distribution functions and non-zero favored and disfavored Collins fragmentation functions with opposite sign. For π0 and K− production the amplitude of this Fourier component is consistent with zero.
Single-spin asymmetries were investigated in inclusive electroproduction of charged pions and kaons from transversely polarized protons at the Hermes experiment. The asymmetries were studied as a ...function of the azimuthal angle ψ about the beam direction between the target-spin direction and the hadron production plane, the transverse hadron momentum PT relative to the direction of the incident beam, and the Feynman variable xF. The sinψ amplitudes are positive for π+ and K+, slightly negative for π− and consistent with zero for K−, with particular PT but weak xF dependences. Especially large asymmetries are observed for two small subsamples of events, where also the scattered electron was recorded by the spectrometer.
A
bstract
Beam-helicity and beam-charge asymmetries in the hard exclusive leptoproduction of real photons from an unpolarised hydrogen target by a 27.6 GeV lepton beam are extracted from the H
ermes
...data set of 2006-2007 using a missing-mass event selection technique. The asymmetry amplitudes extracted from this data set are more precise than those extracted from the earlier data set of 1996-2005 previously analysed in the same manner by H
ermes
. The results from the two data sets are compatible with each other. Results from these combined data sets are extracted and constitute the most precise asymmetry amplitude measurements made in the H
ermes
kinematic region using a missing-mass event selection technique.
The momentum and helicity density distributions of the strange quark sea in the nucleon are obtained in leading order from charged-kaon production in deep-inelastic scattering on the deuteron. The ...distributions are extracted from spin-averaged K± multiplicities, and from K± and inclusive double-spin asymmetries for scattering of polarized positrons by a polarized deuterium target. The shape of the momentum distribution is softer than that of the average of the u¯ and d¯ quarks. In the region of measurement 0.02<x<0.6 and Q2>1.0 GeV2, the helicity distribution is zero within experimental uncertainties.
Double-spin asymmetries in exclusive electroproduction of real photons from a transversely polarized hydrogen target are measured with respect to the product of target polarization with beam helicity ...and beam charge, and with respect to the product of target polarization with beam helicity alone. The asymmetries arise from the deeply virtual Compton scattering process and its interference with the Bethe–Heitler process. They are related to the real part of the same combination of Compton form factors as that determining the previously published transverse target single-spin asymmetries through the imaginary part. The results for the double-spin asymmetries are found to be compatible with zero within the uncertainties of the measurement, and are not incompatible with the predictions of the only available GPD-based calculation.
A series of semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering measurements on deuterium, helium, neon, krypton, and xenon targets has been performed in order to study hadronization. The data were collected ...with the HERMES detector at the DESY laboratory using a 27.6 GeV positron or electron beam. Hadron multiplicities on nucleus
A relative to those on the deuteron,
R
A
h
, are presented for various hadrons (
π
+
,
π
−
,
π
0
,
K
+
,
K
−
,
p, and
p
¯
) as a function of the virtual-photon energy
ν, the fraction
z of this energy transferred to the hadron, the photon virtuality
Q
2
, and the hadron transverse momentum squared
p
t
2
. The data reveal a systematic decrease of
R
A
h
with the mass number
A for each hadron type
h. Furthermore,
R
A
h
increases (decreases) with increasing values of
ν (
z), increases slightly with increasing
Q
2
, and is almost independent of
p
t
2
, except at large values of
p
t
2
. For pions two-dimensional distributions also are presented. These indicate that the dependences of
R
A
π
on
ν and
z can largely be described as a dependence on a single variable
L
c
, which is a combination of
ν and
z. The dependence on
L
c
suggests in which kinematic conditions partonic and hadronic mechanisms may be dominant. The behaviour of
R
A
π
at large
p
t
2
constitutes tentative evidence for a partonic energy-loss mechanism. The
A-dependence of
R
A
h
is investigated as a function of
ν,
z, and of
L
c
. It approximately follows an
A
α
form with
α
≈
0.5
–
0.6
.
Evidence for a narrow baryon state is found in quasi-real photoproduction on a deuterium target through the decay channel pK0S→pπ+π−. A peak is observed in the pK0S invariant mass spectrum at ...1528±2.6(stat)±2.1(syst) MeV. Depending on the background model, the naive statistical significance of the peak is 4–6 standard deviations and its width may be somewhat larger than the experimental resolution of σ=4.3–6.2 MeV. This state may be interpreted as the predicted S=+1 exotic Θ+(uudds̄) pentaquark baryon. No signal for an hypothetical Θ++ baryon was observed in the pK+ invariant mass distribution. The absence of such a signal indicates that an isotensor Θ is excluded and an isovector Θ is unlikely.
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