Photoproduction of the ω\omega meson on the proton at large momentum transfer

The differential cross section, $d\sigma/dt$ for $\omega$ meson exclusive photoproduction on the proton above the resonance region ($2.6<W<2.9$ GeV) was measured up to a momentum transfer $-t = 5$ GeV$^2$ using the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory. The $\omega$ channel was identified by detecting a proton and $\pi^+$ in the final state and using the missing mass technique. While the low momentum transfer region shows the typical diffractive pattern expected from Pomeron and Reggeon exchange, at large $-t$ the differential cross section has a flat behavior. This feature can be explained by introducing quark interchange processes in addition to the QCD-inspired two-gluon exchange.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Deeply virtual and exclusive electroproduction of omega mesons

The exclusive omega electroproduction off the proton was studied in a large kinematical domain above the nucleon resonance region and for the highest possible photon virtuality (Q2) with the 5.75 GeV beam at CEBAF and the CLAS spectrometer. Cross sections were measured up to large values of the four-momentum transfer (-t < 2.7 GeV2) to the proton. The contributions of the interference terms sigma_TT and sigma_TL to the cross sections, as well as an analysis of the omega spin density matrix, indicate that helicity is not conserved in this process. The t-channel pi0 exchange, or more generally the exchange of the associated Regge trajectory, seems to dominate the reaction gamma* p -> omega p, even for Q2 as large as 5 GeV2. Contributions of handbag diagrams, related to Generalized Parton Distributions in the nucleon, are therefore difficult to extract for this process. Remarkably, the high-t behaviour of the cross sections is nearly Q2-independent, which may be interpreted as a coupling of the photon to a point-like object in this kinematical limit.Comment: 15 pages,19 figure

A Precise Measurement of the Neutron Magnetic Form Factor GMn in the Few-GeV2 Region

The neutron elastic magnetic form factor GMn has been extracted from quasielastic electron scattering data on deuterium with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Lab. The kinematic coverage of the measurement is continuous from Q2=1 GeV2 to 4.8 GeV2. High precision was achieved by employing a ratio technique in which many uncertainties cancel, and by a simultaneous in-situ calibration of the neutron detection efficiency, the largest correction to the data. Neutrons were detected using the CLAS electromagnetic calorimeters and the time-of-flight scintillators. Data were taken at two different electron beam energies, allowing up to four semi-independent measurements of GMn to be made at each value of Q2. The dipole parameterization is found to provide a good description of the data over the measured Q2 range.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, revtex4, submitted to Physical Review Letters, Revised version has changes recommended by journal referee

Measurement of the Polarized Structure Function σLT′\sigma_{LT^\prime} for p(e⃗,e′π+)np(\vec{e},e'\pi^+)n in the Δ(1232)\Delta(1232) Resonance Region

The polarized longitudinal-transverse structure function $\sigma_{LT^\prime}$ has been measured using the $p(\vec e,e'\pi^+)n$ reaction in the $\Delta(1232)$ resonance region at $Q^2=0.40$ and 0.65 GeV$^2$. No previous $\sigma_{LT^\prime}$ data exist for this reaction channel. The kinematically complete experiment was performed at Jefferson Lab with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) using longitudinally polarized electrons at an energy of 1.515 GeV. A partial wave analysis of the data shows generally better agreement with recent phenomenological models of pion electroproduction compared to the previously measured $\pi^0 p$ channel. A fit to both $\pi^0 p$ and $\pi^+ n$ channels using a unitary isobar model suggests the unitarized Born terms provide a consistent description of the non-resonant background. The $t$-channel pion pole term is important in the $\pi^0 p$ channel through a rescattering correction, which could be model-dependent.Comment: 6 pages, LaTex, 5 eps figures: Submitted to PRC/Brief Reports v2: Updated referenc

Q^2 Dependence of the S_{11}(1535) Photocoupling and Evidence for a P-wave resonance in eta electroproduction

New cross sections for the reaction $ep \to e'\eta p$ are reported for total center of mass energy $W$=1.5--2.3 GeV and invariant squared momentum transfer $Q^2$=0.13--3.3 GeV$^2$. This large kinematic range allows extraction of new information about response functions, photocouplings, and $\eta N$ coupling strengths of baryon resonances. A sharp structure is seen at $W\sim$ 1.7 GeV. The shape of the differential cross section is indicative of the presence of a $P$-wave resonance that persists to high $Q^2$. Improved values are derived for the photon coupling amplitude for the $S_{11}$(1535) resonance. The new data greatly expands the $Q^2$ range covered and an interpretation of all data with a consistent parameterization is provided.Comment: 31 pages, 9 figure

Measurement of Inclusive Spin Structure Functions of the Deuteron

We report the results of a new measurement of spin structure functions of the deuteron in the region of moderate momentum transfer ($Q^2$ = 0.27 -- 1.3 (GeV/c)$^2$) and final hadronic state mass in the nucleon resonance region ($W$ = 1.08 -- 2.0 GeV). We scattered a 2.5 GeV polarized continuous electron beam at Jefferson Lab off a dynamically polarized cryogenic solid state target ($^{15}$ND$_3$) and detected the scattered electrons with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS). From our data, we extract the longitudinal double spin asymmetry $A_{||}$ and the spin structure function $g_1^d$. Our data are generally in reasonable agreement with existing data from SLAC where they overlap, and they represent a substantial improvement in statistical precision. We compare our results with expectations for resonance asymmetries and extrapolated deep inelastic scaling results. Finally, we evaluate the first moment of the structure function $g_1^d$ and study its approach to both the deep inelastic limit at large $Q^2$ and to the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule at the real photon limit ($Q^2 \to 0$). We find that the first moment varies rapidly in the $Q^2$ range of our experiment and crosses zero at $Q^2$ between 0.5 and 0.8 (GeV/c)$^2$, indicating the importance of the $\Delta$ resonance at these momentum transfers.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, ReVTeX 4, final version as accepted by Phys. Rev.

The e p -> e' p eta reaction at and above the S11(1535) baryon resonance

New cross sections for the reaction e p -> ep eta are reported for total center of mass energy W = 1.5--1.86 GeV and invariant momentum transfer Q^2 = 0.25--1.5 GeV^2. This large kinematic range allows extraction of important new information about response functions, photocouplings, and eta N coupling strengths of baryon resonances. Expanded W coverage shows sharp structure at W \~ 1.7 GeV; this is shown to come from interference between S and P waves and can be interpreted in terms of known resonances. Improved values are derived for the photon coupling amplitude for the S11(1535) resonance.Comment: 11 pages, RevTeX, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Onset of asymptotic scaling in deuteron photodisintegration

We investigate the transition from the nucleon-meson to quark-gluon description of the strong interaction using the photon energy dependence of the $d(\gamma,p)n$ differential cross section for photon energies above 0.5 GeV and center-of-mass proton angles between $30^{\circ}$ and $150^{\circ}$. A possible signature for this transition is the onset of cross section $s^{-11}$ scaling with the total energy squared, $s$, at some proton transverse momentum, $P_T$. The results show that the scaling has been reached for proton transverse momentum above about 1.1 GeV/c. This may indicate that the quark-gluon regime is reached above this momentum.Comment: Accepted by PRL; 5 pages, 2 figure

Measurement of the Deuteron Structure Function F2 in the Resonance Region and Evaluation of Its Moments

Inclusive electron scattering off the deuteron has been measured to extract the deuteron structure function F2 with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The measurement covers the entire resonance region from the quasi-elastic peak up to the invariant mass of the final-state hadronic system W~2.7 GeV with four-momentum transfers Q2 from 0.4 to 6 (GeV/c)^2. These data are complementary to previous measurements of the proton structure function F2 and cover a similar two-dimensional region of Q2 and Bjorken variable x. Determination of the deuteron F2 over a large x interval including the quasi-elastic peak as a function of Q2, together with the other world data, permit a direct evaluation of the structure function moments for the first time. By fitting the Q2 evolution of these moments with an OPE-based twist expansion we have obtained a separation of the leading twist and higher twist terms. The observed Q2 behaviour of the higher twist contribution suggests a partial cancellation of different higher twists entering into the expansion with opposite signs. This cancellation, found also in the proton moments, is a manifestation of the "duality" phenomenon in the F2 structure function