The polarization observables T , P , and H and their impact on γp→pπ0 multipoles

Data on the polarization observables T , P , and H for the reaction γp→pπ0 are reported. Compared to earlier data from other experiments, our data are more precise and extend the covered range in energy and angle substantially. The results were extracted from azimuthal asymmetries measured using a transversely polarized target and linearly polarized photons. The data were taken at the Bonn electron stretcher accelerator ELSA with the CBELSA/TAPS detector. Within the Bonn-Gatchina partial wave analysis, the new polarization data lead to a significant narrowing of the error band for the multipoles for neutral-pion photoproduction

Data on Is and Ic in γ→p→pπ0π0 reveal cascade decays of N(1900) via N(1520)π

Photoproduction of two neutral pions off the proton is studied using linearly polarized photons, and the polarization observables Is and Ic are measured for the first time. These two observables are unique to multi-meson final states; they characterize correlations between the linear photon polarization and the direction of outgoing single particles in photoproduction of three-body final states. The Is and Ic distributions suggest that, in the 1.8 to 2.0 GeV mass region, the N(1520)3/2−π intermediate state is reached with reaction dynamics consistent with a dominant JP=3/2+ wave. These data are included in the Bonn–Gatchina (BnGa) partial wave analysis which is based on a large variety of data; the analysis confirms a significant contribution from the reaction chain γp→N(1900)3/2+→N(1520)3/2−π0→pπ0π0

Photoproduction of ω mesons off the proton

The differential cross sections and unpolarized spin-density matrix elements for the reaction γp→pω were measured using the CBELSA/TAPS experiment for initial photon energies ranging from the reaction threshold to 2.5 GeV. These observables were measured from the radiative decay of the ω meson, ω→π0γ . The cross sections cover the full angular range and show the full extent of the t -channel forward rise. The overall shape of the angular distributions in the differential cross sections and unpolarized spin-density matrix elements are in fair agreement with previous data. In addition, for the first time, a beam of linearly-polarized tagged photons in the energy range from 1150 MeV to 1650 MeV was used to extract polarized spin-density matrix elements

Spin alignment and violation of the OZI rule in exclusive ω and ϕ production in pp collisions

Exclusive production of the isoscalar vector mesons ω and ϕ is measured with a 190 GeV/c proton beam impinging on a liquid hydrogen target. Cross section ratios are determined in three intervals of the Feynman variable xF of the fast proton. A significant violation of the OZI rule is found, confirming earlier findings. Its kinematic dependence on xF and on the invariant mass MpV of the system formed by fast proton pfast and vector meson V is discussed in terms of diffractive production of pfastV resonances in competition with central production. The measurement of the spin density matrix element ρ00 of the vector mesons in different selected reference frames provides another handle to distinguish the contributions of these two major reaction types. Again, dependences of the alignment on xF and on MpV are found. Most of the observations can be traced back to the existence of several excited baryon states contributing to ω production which are absent in the case of the ϕ meson. Removing the low-mass MpV resonant region, the OZI rule is found to be violated by a factor of eight, independently of xF

Collins and Sivers asymmetries in muonproduction of pions and kaons off transversely polarised protons

Measurements of the Collins and Sivers asymmetries for charged pions and charged and neutral kaons produced in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of high energy muons off transversely polarised protons are presented. The results were obtained using all the available COMPASS proton data, which were taken in the years 2007 and 2010. The Collins asymmetries exhibit in the valence region a non-zero signal for pions and there are hints of non-zero signal also for kaons. The Sivers asymmetries are found to be positive for positive pions and kaons and compatible with zero otherwise

Search for exclusive photoproduction of Zc± (3900) at COMPASS

A search for the exclusive production of the Zc±(3900) hadron by virtual photons has been performed in the channel Zc±(3900)→J/ψπ± . The data cover the range from 7 GeV to 19 GeV in the centre-of-mass energy of the photon–nucleon system. The full set of the COMPASS data set collected with a muon beam between 2002 and 2011 has been used. An upper limit for the ratio BR(Zc±(3900)→J/ψπ±)×σγN→Zc±(3900)N/σγN→J/ψN of 3.7×10−3 has been established at the confidence level of 90%

Odd and even partial waves of ηπ− and η′π− in π−p→η(′)π−p at 191 GeV/c

Exclusive production of ηπ− and η′π− has been studied with a 191 GeV/c π− beam impinging on a hydrogen target at COMPASS (CERN). Partial-wave analyses reveal different odd/even angular momentum ( L ) characteristics in the inspected invariant mass range up to 3 GeV/c2 . A striking similarity between the two systems is observed for the L=2,4,6 intensities (scaled by kinematical factors) and the relative phases. The known resonances a2(1320) and a4(2040) are in line with this similarity. In contrast, a strong enhancement of η′π− over ηπ− is found for the L=1,3,5 waves, which carry non- qq¯ quantum numbers. The L=1 intensity peaks at 1.7 GeV/c2 in η′π− and at 1.4 GeV/c2 in ηπ− , the corresponding phase motions with respect to L=2 are different

Measurement of azimuthal hadron asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering off unpolarised nucleons

Spin-averaged asymmetries in the azimuthal distributions of positive and negative hadrons produced in deep inelastic scattering were measured using the CERN SPS longitudinally polarised muon beam at 160 GeV/c and a 6 LiD target. The amplitudes of the three azimuthal modulations cos⁡ϕh , cos⁡2ϕh and sin⁡ϕh were obtained binning the data separately in each of the relevant kinematic variables x , z or pTh and binning in a three-dimensional grid of these three variables. The amplitudes of the cos⁡ϕh and cos⁡2ϕh modulations show strong kinematic dependencies both for positive and negative hadrons