Measurement of Direct fₒ(980) Photoproduction on the Proton

We report on the results of the first measurement of exclusive f0(980) meson photoproduction on protons for Eγ = 3.0–3.8  GeV and −t = 0.4–1.0  GeV2 . Data were collected with the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The resonance was detected via its decay in the π+π− channel by performing a partial wave analysis of the reaction γp→pπ+π− . Clear evidence of the f0(980) meson was found in the interference between P and S waves at M π+π− ∼1  GeV. The S -wave differential cross section integrated in the mass range of the f0(980) was found to be a factor of about 50 smaller than the cross section for the ρ meson. This is the first time the f0(980) meson has been measured in a photoproduction experiment

Quark-Hadron Duality in Spin Structure Functions g(1)(p) and g(1)(d)

New measurements of the spin structure functions of the proton and deuteron g(1)(p)(x,Q2) and g(1)(d)(x,Q2) in the nucleon resonance region are compared with extrapolations of target-mass-corrected next-to-leading-order (NLO) QCD fits to higher energy data. Averaged over the entire resonance region (W \u3c2 \u3eGeV), the data and QCD fits are in good agreement in both magnitude and Q2 dependence for Q2 \u3e1.7 GeV2/c2. This global duality appears to result from cancellations among the prominent local resonance regions: in particular strong σ3/2 contributions in the Δ (1232) region appear to be compensated by strong σ1/2 contributions in the resonance region centered on 1.5 GeV. These results are encouraging for the extension of NLO QCD fits to lower W and Q2 than have been used previously

Measurement of the x- and Q\u3csup\u3e2\u3c/sup\u3e -Dependence of the Asymmetry A1 on the Nucleon

We report results for the virtual photon asymmetry A1 on the nucleon from new Jefferson Lab measurements. The experiment, which used the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer and longitudinally polarized proton (15NH3) and deuteron (15ND3) targets, collected data with a longitudinally polarized electron beam at energies between 1.6 GeV and 5.7 GeV. In the present Letter, we concentrate on our results for A1 ( x , Q2 ) and the related ratio g1 / F1 ( x , Q2 ) in the resonance and the deep inelastic regions for our lowest and highest beam energies, covering a range in momentum transfer Q2 from 0.05 to 5.0 ( GeV /c )2 and in final-state invariant mass W up to about 3 GeV. Our data show detailed structure in the resonance region, which leads to a strong Q2 -dependence of A1 (x, Q2) for W below 2 GeV. At higher W, a smooth approach to the scaling limit, established by earlier experiments, can be seen, but A1 ( x, Q2) is not strictly Q2 -independent. We add significantly to the world data set at high x, up to x = 0.6 . Our data exceed the SU ( 6 ) -symmetric quark model expectation for both the proton and the deuteron while being consistent with a negative d-quark polarization up to our highest x. This data set should improve next-to-leading order (NLO) pQCD fits of the parton polarization distributions

Light Vector Mesons in the Nuclear Medium

The light vector mesons ($\rho$, $\omega$, and $\phi$) were produced in deuterium, carbon, titanium, and iron targets in a search for possible in-medium modifications to the properties of the $\rho$ meson at normal nuclear densities and zero temperature. The vector mesons were detected with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) via their decays to $e^{+}e^{-}$. The rare leptonic decay was chosen to reduce final-state interactions. A combinatorial background was subtracted from the invariant mass spectra using a well-established event-mixing technique. The $\rho$ meson mass spectrum was extracted after the $\omega$ and $\phi$ signals were removed in a nearly model-independent way. Comparisons were made between the $\rho$ mass spectra from the heavy targets ($A > 2$) with the mass spectrum extracted from the deuterium target. With respect to the $\rho$-meson mass, we obtain a small shift compatible with zero. Also, we measure widths consistent with standard nuclear many-body effects such as collisional broadening and Fermi motion.Comment: 15 pages, 18 figures, 3 table

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 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

Search for Θ+(1540)\Theta^+(1540) pentaquark in high statistics measurement of γp→Kˉ0K+n\gamma p \to \bar K^0 K^+ n at CLAS

The exclusive reaction $\gamma p \to \bar K^0 K^+ n$ was studied in the photon energy range between 1.6-3.8 GeV searching for evidence of the exotic baryon $\Theta^+(1540)\to nK^+$. The decay to $nK^+$ requires the assignment of strangeness $S=+1$ to any observed resonance. Data were collected with the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 70 $pb^{-1}$. No evidence for the $\Theta^+$ pentaquark was found. Upper limits were set on the production cross section as function of center-of-mass angle and $nK^+$ mass. The 95% CL upper limit on the total cross section for a narrow resonance at 1540 MeV was found to be 0.8 nb.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Measurement of Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering with a Polarized Proton Target

The longitudinal target-spin asymmetry A_UL for the exclusive electroproduction of high energy photons was measured for the first time in p(e,e'p\gamma). The data have been accumulated at Jefferson Lab with the CLAS spectrometer using 5.7 GeV electrons and a longitudinally polarized NH_3 target. A significant azimuthal angular dependence was observed, resulting from the interference of the Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering and Bethe-Heitler processes. The amplitude of the sin(phi) moment is 0.252 +/- 0.042(stat) +/- 0.020(sys). Theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the magnitude and the kinematic dependence of the target-spin asymmetry, which is sensitive to the generalized parton distributions H and H-tilde.Comment: Modified text slightly, added reference

First measurement of coherent ϕ\phi-meson photoproduction on deuteron at low energies

The cross section and decay angular distributions for the coherent \phi meson photoproduction on the deuteron have been measured for the first time up to a squared four-momentum transfer t =(p_{\gamma}-p_{\phi})^2 =-2 GeV^2/c^2, using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The cross sections are compared with predictions from a re-scattering model. In a framework of vector meson dominance, the data are consistent with the total \phi-N cross section \sigma_{\phi N} at about 10 mb. If vector meson dominance is violated, a larger \sigma_{\phi N} is possible by introducing larger t-slope for the \phi N \to \phi N process than that for the \gamma N \to \phi N process. The decay angular distributions of the \phi are consistent with helicity conservation.Comment: 6 page

Search for medium modification of the ρ\rho meson

The photoproduction of vector mesons on various nuclei has been studied using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Laboratory. The vector mesons, $\rho$, $\omega$, and $\phi$, are observed via their decay to $e^+e^-$, in order to reduce the effects of final state interactions in the nucleus. Of particular interest are possible in-medium effects on the properties of the $\rho$ meson. The $\rho$ spectral function is extracted from the data on various nuclei, carbon, iron, and titanium, and compared to the spectrum from liquid deuterium, which is relatively free of nuclear effects. We observe no significant mass shift for the $\rho$ meson; however, there is some widening of the resonance in titanium and iron, which is consistent with expected collisional broadening.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure