Neutron contribution to nuclear DVCS asymmetries

Using a simple model for nuclear GPDs, we study the role of the neutron contribution to nuclear DVCS observables. As an example, we use the beam-spin asymmetry A_{LU}^A measured in coherent and incoherent DVCS on a wide range of nuclear targets in the HERMES and JLab kinematics. We find that at small values of the momentum transfer t, A_{LU}^A is dominated by the coherent-enriched contribution, which enhances A_{LU}^A compared to the free proton asymmetry A_{LU}^p, A_{LU}^A(\phi)/A_{LU}^p(\phi)=1.8-2.2. At large values of t, the nuclear asymmetry is dominated by the incoherent contribution and A_{LU}^A/(\phi)A_{LU}^p(\phi)=0.66-0.74. The deviation of A_{LU}^A(\phi)/A_{LU}^p(\phi) from unity at large t is a result of the neutron contribution, which gives a possibility to constain neutron GPDs in incoherent nuclear DVCS. A similar trend is expected for other DVCS asymmetries.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figure

Mixing and decays of the antidecuplet in the context of approximate SU(3) symmetry

We consider mixing of the antidecuplet with three J^P=1/2^+ octets (the ground-state octet, the octet containing N(1440), \Lambda(1600), \Sigma(1660) and \Xi(1690) and the octet containing N(1710), \Lambda(1800), \Sigma(1880) and \Xi(1950)) in the framework of approximate flavor SU(3) symmetry. We give general expressions for the partial decay widths of all members of the antidecuplet as functions of the two mixing angles. Identifying N_{anti-10} with the N(1670) observed by the GRAAL experiment, we show that the considered mixing scenario can accommodate all present experimental and phenomenological information on the \Theta^+ and N_{anti-10} decays: \Theta^+ could be as narrow as 1 MeV; the N_{anti-10} -> N + \eta decay is sizable, while the N_{anti-10} ->N + \pi decay is suppressed and the N_{anti-10} ->\Lambda + K decay is possibly suppressed. Constraining the mixing angles by the N_{anti-10} decays, we make definite predictions for the \Sigma_{anti-10} decays. We point out that \Sigma_{anti-10} with mass near 1770 MeV could be searched for in the available data on K_S p invariant mass spectrum, which already revealed the \Theta^+ peak. It is important to experimentally verify the decay properties of \Sigma(1770) because its mass and J^P=1/2^+ make it an attractive candidate for \Sigma_{anti-10}.Comment: 57 pages, 31 figures, 4 table

A fresh look at factorization breaking in diffractive photoproduction of dijets at HERA at next-to-leading order QCD

We calculate the cross section of diffractive dijet photoproduction in $ep$ scattering at next-to-leading order (NLO) of perturbative QCD (pQCD), which we supplement by a model of factorization breaking for the resolved-photon contribution. In this model, the suppression depends on the flavor and momentum fraction of the partons in the photon. We show that within experimental and theoretical uncertainties, the resulting approach provides a good description of the available HERA data in most of the bins. Hence, taken together with the observation that NLO pQCD explains well the data on diffractive photoproduction of open charm in $ep$ scattering, our model of factorization breaking presents a viable alternative to the scheme based on the global suppression factor.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Final published versio

Rapidity and momentum transfer distributions of coherent J/ψJ/\psi photoproduction in ultraperipheral pPb collisions at the LHC

Based on accurate calculations of the flux of equivalent photons of the proton and heavy nuclei and the pQCD framework for the gluon distribution in the proton and nuclei, we analyze the rapidity and momentum transfer distributions of coherent $J/\psi$ photoproduction in ultraperipheral proton-Pb collisions at the LHC. We demonstrate that unlike the case of proton-proton UPCs marred by certain theoretical uncertainties and experimental limitations, after a cut excluding the region of small momentum transfers, ultraperipheral proton-Pb collisions offer a clean way to study the gluon distribution in the proton down to $x \approx 10^{-5}$. Our analysis of the momentum transfer distributions shows that an interplay of $J/\psi$ production by low-energy photons on the nucleus and by high-energy photons on the proton in proton-Pb UPCs can result in some excess of events at small $p_t$ in a definite region of the rapidity y.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures. The final published versio