Exclusive production of $\rho^0$ and $J/\psi$ mesons in e^+ p collisions has been studied with the ZEUS detector in the kinematic range $0.25 < Q^2 < 50 GeV^2, 20 < W < 167 GeV$ for the $\rho^0$ data and $2 < Q^2 < 40 GeV^2, 50 < W < 150 GeV$ for the $J/\psi$ data. Cross sections for exclusive $\rho^0$ and $J/\psi$ production have been measured as a function of $Q^2, W$ and $t$. The spin-density matrix elements $r^{04}_{00}, r^1_{1-1}$ and $Re r^{5}_{10}$ have been determined for exclusive $\rho^0$ production as well as $r^{04}_{00}$ and $r^{04}_{1-1}$ for exclusive $J/\psi$ production. The results are discussed in the context of theoretical models invoking soft and hard phenomena.
The spin-density martix elements deletermined for various values of W and Q**2 for the RHO0 BPC sample.
The production of energetic neutrons in $ep$ collisions has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The neutron energy and $p_T^2$ distributions were measured with a forward neutron calorimeter and tracker in a $40 \pb^{-1}$ sample of inclusive deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data and a $6 \pb^{-1}$ sample of photoproduction data. The neutron yield in photoproduction is suppressed relative to DIS for the lower neutron energies and the neutrons have a steeper $p_T^2$ distribution, consistent with the expectation from absorption models. The distributions are compared to HERA measurements of leading protons. The neutron energy and transverse-momentum distributions in DIS are compared to Monte Carlo simulations and to the predictions of particle exchange models. Models of pion exchange incorporating absorption and additional secondary meson exchanges give a good description of the data.
Normalized double differential cross sections for leading neutron production in the photoproduction sample. Statistical errors only are given.
Exclusive electroproduction of $\phi$ mesons has been studied in $e^\pm p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=318 \gev$ with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 65.1 pb$^{-1}$. The $\gamma^*p$ cross section is presented in the kinematic range $2<Q^2<70 \gev^2$, $35<W<145 \gev$ and ${|t|}<0.6 \gev^2$. The cross sections as functions of $Q^2$, $W$, $t$ and helicity angle $\theta_h$ are compared to cross sections for other vector mesons. The ratios $R$ of the cross sections for longitudinally and transversely polarized virtual photons are presented as functions of $Q^2$ and $W$. The data are also compared to predictions from theoretical models.
The spin density matrix element R04_00 and ratios of longitudinal and transversely polarized photons as a function of W for the Q**2 region 2 to 5 GeV**2.
Deep inelastic scattering and its diffractive component, $ep \to e^{\prime}\gamma^* p \to e^{\prime}XN$, have been studied at HERA with the ZEUS detector using an integrated luminosity of 52.4 pb$^{-1}$. The $M_X$ method has been used to extract the diffractive contribution. A wide range in the centre-of-mass energy $W$ (37 -- 245 GeV), photon virtuality $Q^2$ (20 -- 450 GeV$^2$) and mass $M_X$ (0.28 -- 35 GeV) is covered. The diffractive cross section for $2 < M_X < 15$ GeV rises strongly with $W$, the rise becoming steeper as $Q^2$ increases. The data are also presented in terms of the diffractive structure function, $F^{\rm D(3)}_2$, of the proton. For fixed $Q^2$ and fixed $M_X$, $\xpom F^{\rm D(3)}_2$ shows a strong rise as $\xpom \to 0$, where $\xpom$ is the fraction of the proton momentum carried by the Pomeron. For Bjorken-$x < 1 \cdot 10^{-3}$, $\xpom F^{\rm D(3)}_2$ shows positive $\log Q^2$ scaling violations, while for $x \ge 5 \cdot 10^{-3}$ negative scaling violations are observed. The diffractive structure function is compatible with being leading twist. The data show that Regge factorisation is broken.
Cross section for diffractive scattering GAMMA* P --> DD X where M(DD) < 2.3 GeV and M(X) = 1.2 GeV for Q**2 = 55 GeV**2.
Deep inelastic scattering and its diffractive component, ep -> e'gamma*p ->e'XN, have been studied at HERA with the ZEUS detector using an integrated luminosity of 4.2 pb-1. The measurement covers a wide range in the gamma*p c.m. energy W (37 - 245 GeV), photon virtuality Q2 (2.2 - 80 GeV2) and mass Mx. The diffractive cross section for Mx > 2 GeV rises strongly with W: the rise is steeper with increasing Q2. The latter observation excludes the description of diffractive deep inelastic scattering in terms of the exchange of a single Pomeron. The ratio of diffractive to total cross section is constant as a function of W, in contradiction to the expectation of Regge phenomenology combined with a naive extension of the optical theorem to gamma*p scattering. Above Mx of 8 GeV, the ratio is flat with Q2, indicating a leading-twist behaviour of the diffractive cross section. The data are also presented in terms of the diffractive structure function, F2D(3)(beta,xpom,Q2), of the proton. For fixed beta, the Q2 dependence of xpom F2D(3) changes with xpom in violation of Regge factorisation. For fixed xpom, xpom F2D(3) rises as beta -> 0, the rise accelerating with increasing Q2. These positive scaling violations suggest substantial contributions of perturbative effects in the diffractive DIS cross section.
Cross section for the diffractive scattering process GAMMA* P --> DD X for a diffractive mass of 3.0 GeV and Q**2 = 2.7 GeV**2.
Exclusive rho^0 electroproduction at HERA has been studied with the ZEUS detector using 120 pb^{-1} of integrated luminosity collected during 1996-2000. The analysis was carried out in the kinematic range of photon virtuality 2 < Q^2 < 160 GeV$^2, and gamma^* p centre-of-mass energy 32 < W < 180 GeV. The results include the Q^2 and W dependence of the gamma^* p --> rho^0 p cross section and the distribution of the squared-four-momentum transfer to the proton. The helicity analysis of the decay-matrix elements of the rho^0 was used to study the ratio of the gamma^* p cross section for longitudinal and transverse photon as a function of Q^2 and W. Finally, an effective Pomeron trajectory was extracted. The results are compared to various theoretical predictions.
Cross section as a function of W for the Q**2 ranges 7 to 10, 10 to 22 and 22 to 80 GeV.
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