Beam Asymmetry Σ for π+ and π0 Photoproduction on the Proton for Photon Energies From 1.102 to 1.862 GeV

Beam asymmetries for the reactions ˠp -\u3e pπ0 and ˠp -\u3e nπ+have been measured with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) and a tagged, linearly polarized photon beam with energies from 1.102-1.862 GeV. A Fourier moment technique for extracting beam asymmetries from experimental data is described. The results reported here possess greater precision and finer energy resolution than previous measurements. Our data for both pion reactions appear to favor the SAID and Bonn-Gatchina scattering analyses over the older Mainz MAID predictions. After incorporating the present set of beam asymmetries into the world database, exploratory fits made with the SAID analysis indicate that the largest changes from previous fits are for properties of the Δ(1700)3/2- and Δ(1905) 5/2+ states

Electroexcitation of Nucleon Resonances from CLAS Data on Single Pion Electroproduction

We present results on the electroexcitation of the low mass resonances Δ(1232)P33 , N(1440)P11 , N(1520)D13 , and N(1535)S11 in a wide range of Q2. The results were obtained in the comprehensive analysis of data from the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) large acceptance spectrometer (CLAS) detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) on differential cross sections, longitudinally polarized beam asymmetries, and longitudinal target and beam-target asymmetries for π electroproduction off the proton. The data were analyzed using two conceptually different approaches—fixed-t dispersion relations and a unitary isobar model—allowing us to draw conclusions on the model sensitivity of the obtained electrocoupling amplitudes. The amplitudes for the Δ(1232)P33 show the importance of a meson-cloud contribution to quantitatively explain the magnetic dipole strength, as well as the electric and scalar quadrupole transitions. They do not show any tendency of approaching the pQCD regime for Q2⩽6 GeV2 . For the Roper resonance, N(1440)P11, the data provide strong evidence that this state is a predominantly radial excitation of a three-quark (3q) ground state. Measured in pion electroproduction, the transverse helicity amplitude for the N(1535)S11 allowed us to obtain the branching ratios of this state to the πN and ηN channels via comparison with the results extracted from η electroproduction. The extensive CLAS data also enabled the extraction of the γ∗p → N(1520)D13 and N(1535)S11 longitudinal helicity amplitudes with good precision. For the N(1535)S11, these results became a challenge for quark models and may be indicative of large meson-cloud contributions or of representations of this state that differ from a 3q excitation. The transverse amplitudes for the N(1520)D13 clearly show the rapid changeover from helicity-3/2 dominance at the real photon point to helicity-1/2 dominance at Q2 \u3e1 GeV2, confirming a long-standing prediction of the constituent quark model

Photodisintegration of \u3csup\u3e4\u3c/sup\u3eHE into \u3ci\u3ep\u3c/i\u3e+\u3ci\u3et\u3c/i\u3e

The two-body photodisintegration of 4He into a proton and a triton has been studied using the CEBAF Large-Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Real photons produced with the Hall-B bremsstrahlung-tagging system in the energy range from 0.35 to 1.55 GeV were incident on a liquid 4He target. This is the first measurement of the photodisintegration of 4He above 0.4 GeV. The differential cross sections for the γ 4He →pt reaction were measured as a function of photon-beam energy and proton-scattering angle and are compared with the latest model calculations by J.-M. Laget. At 0.6−1.2 GeV, our data are in good agreement only with the calculations that include three-body mechanisms, thus confirming their importance. These results reinforce the conclusion of our previous study of the three-body breakup of 3He that demonstrated the great importance of three-body mechanisms in the energy region 0.5−0.8 GeV

Transverse Polarization of Σ+ (1189) in Photoproduction on a Hydrogen Target in CLAS

Experimental results on the Σ+(1189) hyperon transverse polarization in photoproduction on a hydrogen target using the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory are presented. The Σ+(1189) was reconstructed in the exclusive reaction γ+p→K0S+Σ+(1189) via the Σ+→pπ0 decay mode. The K0S was reconstructed in the invariant mass of two oppositely charged pions with the π0 identified in the missing mass of the detected pπ+π− final state. Experimental data were collected in the photon energy range Eγ=1.0 –3.5 GeV (√s range 1.66–2.73 GeV). We observe a large negative polarization of up to 95% . As the mechanism of transverse polarization of hyperons produced in unpolarized photoproduction experiments is still not well understood, these results will help to distinguish between different theoretical models on hyperon production and provide valuable information for the searches of missing baryon resonances

Deep Exclusive π+ Electroproduction Off the Proton at CLAS

The exclusive electroproduction of π + above the resonance region was studied using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Laboratory by scattering a 6GeV continuous electron beam off a hydrogen target. The large acceptance and good resolution of CLAS, together with the high luminosity, allowed us to measure the cross section for the γ * p → nπ + process in 140 (Q 2, x B , t) bins: 0.16 \u3c x B \u3c 0.58, 1.6 GeV2 \u3c Q 2 \u3c 4.5 GeV2 and 0.1 GeV2 \u3c −t \u3c 5.3 GeV2. For most bins, the statistical accuracy is on the order of a few percent. Differential cross sections are compared to four theoretical models, based either on hadronic or on partonic degrees of freedom. The four models can describe the gross features of the data reasonably well, but differ strongly in their ingredients. In particular, the model based on Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) contain the interesting potential to experimentally access transversity GPDs

Tensor Correlations Measured in 3He(e,e\u27 pp)n

We have measured the 3He(e,e\u27 pp)n reaction at an incident energy of 4.7 GeV over a wide kinematic range. We identified spectator correlated pp and pn nucleon pairs by using kinematic cuts and measured their relative and total momentum distributions. This is the first measurement of the ratio of pp to pn pairs as a function of pair total momentum ptot. For pair relative momenta between 0.3 and 0.5 GeV/c, the ratio is very small at low ptot and rises to approximately 0.5 at large ptot. This shows the dominance of tensor over central correlations at this relative momentum

Cross sections for the γp→K*+Λ and γp→K*+Σ0 reactions measured at CLAS

The first high-statistics cross sections for the reactions γp→K*+Λ and γp→K*+Σ0 were measured using the CLAS detector at photon energies between threshold and 3.9 GeV at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Differential cross sections are presented over the full range of the center-of-mass angles, and then fitted to Legendre polynomials to extract the total cross section. Results for the K*+Λ final state are compared with two different calculations in an isobar and a Regge model, respectively. Theoretical calculations significantly underestimate the K*+Λ total cross sections between 2.1 and 2.6 GeV, but are in better agreement with present data at higher photon energies

Transverse Polarization of Σ+(1189)\Sigma^{+}(1189) in Photoproduction on a Hydrogen Target in CLAS

Experimental results on the $\Sigma^+(1189)$ hyperon transverse polarization in photoproduction on a hydrogen target using the CLAS detector at Jefferson laboratory are presented. The $\Sigma^+(1189)$ was reconstructed in the exclusive reaction $\gamma+p\rightarrow K^{0}_{S} + \Sigma^+(1189)$ via the $\Sigma^{+} \to p \pi^{0}$ decay mode. The $K^{0}_S$ was reconstructed in the invariant mass of two oppositely charged pions with the $\pi^0$ identified in the missing mass of the detected $p\pi^+\pi^-$ final state. Experimental data were collected in the photon energy range $E_{\gamma}$ = 1.0-3.5 GeV ($\sqrt{s}$ range 1.66-2.73 GeV). We observe a large negative polarization of up to 95%. As the mechanism of transverse polarization of hyperons produced in unpolarized photoproduction experiments is still not well understood, these results will help to distinguish between different theoretical models on hyperon production and provide valuable information for the searches of missing baryon resonances.Comment: pages 1

Differential cross sections and recoil polarizations for the reaction gamma p -> K+ Sigma0

High-statistics measurements of differential cross sections and recoil polarizations for the reaction $\gamma p \rightarrow K^+ \Sigma^0$ have been obtained using the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. We cover center-of-mass energies ($\sqrt{s}$) from 1.69 to 2.84 GeV, with an extensive coverage in the $K^+$ production angle. Independent measurements were made using the $K^{+}p\pi^{-}$($\gamma$) and $K^{+}p$($\pi^-, \gamma$) final-state topologies, and were found to exhibit good agreement. Our differential cross sections show good agreement with earlier CLAS, SAPHIR and LEPS results, while offering better statistical precision and a 300-MeV increase in $\sqrt{s}$ coverage. Above $\sqrt{s} \approx 2.5$ GeV, $t$- and $u$-channel Regge scaling behavior can be seen at forward- and backward-angles, respectively. Our recoil polarization ($P_\Sigma$) measurements represent a substantial increase in kinematic coverage and enhanced precision over previous world data. At forward angles we find that $P_\Sigma$ is of the same magnitude but opposite sign as $P_\Lambda$, in agreement with the static SU(6) quark model prediction of $P_\Sigma \approx -P_\Lambda$. This expectation is violated in some mid- and backward-angle kinematic regimes, where $P_\Sigma$ and $P_\Lambda$ are of similar magnitudes but also have the same signs. In conjunction with several other meson photoproduction results recently published by CLAS, the present data will help constrain the partial wave analyses being performed to search for missing baryon resonances.Comment: 23 pages, 17 figure

Beam-target helicity asymmetry for γ→n→→π−p in the N*resonance region

We report the first beam-target double-polarization asymmetries in the γ þ nðpÞ → π− þ pðpÞ reaction spanning the nucleon resonance region from invariant mass W ¼ 1500 to 2300 MeV. Circularly polarized photons and longitudinally polarized deuterons in solid hydrogen deuteride (HD) have been used with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Lab. The exclusive final state has been extracted using three very different analyses that show excellent agreement, and these have been used to deduce the E polarization observable for an effective neutron target. These results have been incorporated into new partial wave analyses and have led to significant revisions for several γnN* resonance photocouplings