Three-jet production in deep inelastic ep scattering and photoproduction was investigated with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 127 pb-1. Measurements of differential cross sections are presented as functions of angular correlations between the three jets in the final state and the proton-beam direction. These correlations provide a stringent test of perturbative QCD and show sensitivity to the contributions from different colour configurations. Fixed-order perturbative QCD calculations assuming the values of the colour factors C_F, C_A and T_F as derived from a variety of gauge groups were compared to the measurements to study the underlying gauge group symmetry. The measured angular correlations in the deep inelastic ep scattering and photoproduction regimes are consistent with the admixture of colour configurations as predicted by SU(3) and disfavour other symmetry groups, such as SU(N) in the limit of large N.
Integrated 3-jet photoproduction cross section.
Integrated 3-jet cross sections in NC DIS.
Normalized differential 3-jet photoproduction cross section as a function of THETA(H).
Charm production in deep inelastic scattering has been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 82 pb^{-1}. Charm has been tagged by reconstructing D^{*+}, D^0, D^{+} and D_s^+ (+ c.c.) charm mesons. The charm hadrons were measured in the kinematic range p_T(D^{*+},D^0,D^{+}) > 3 GeV, p_T(D_s^+)>2 GeV and |\eta(D)| < 1.6 for 1.5 < Q^2 < 1000 GeV^2 and 0.02 < y < 0.7. The production cross sections were used to extract charm fragmentation ratios and the fraction of c quarks hadronising into a particular charm meson in the kinematic range considered. The cross sections were compared to the predictions of next-to-leading-order QCD, and extrapolated to the full kinematic region in p_T(D) and \eta(D) in order to determine the open-charm contribution, F_2^{c\bar{c}}(x,Q^2), to the proton structure function F_2.
Production cross section for all D0 mesons, those not originating fom D* decays and those originating from D* decays.
Production cross section for additional D* mesons (not decaying to D0) and all D* mesons.
Production cross section for D+ mesons.
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.
Ratio of leading neutron to inclusive cross sections integrated to the full PT range.
Normalized double differential cross sections for leading neutron production for the full DIS sample. Statistical errors only are given.
Normalized double differential cross sections for leading neutron production for the full DIS sample. Statistical errors only are given.
The production of the neutral strange hadrons $K^{0}_{S}$, $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ has been measured in $ep$ collisions at HERA using the ZEUS detector. Cross sections, baryon-to-meson ratios, relative yields of strange and charged light hadrons, $\Lambda$ ($\bar{\Lambda}$) asymmetry and polarization have been measured in three kinematic regions: $Q^2 > 25 \gev^2$: $5 < Q^2 < 25 \gev^2$: and in photoproduction ($Q^2 \simeq 0$). In photoproduction the presence of two hadronic jets, each with at least $5 \gev$ transverse energy, was required. The measurements agree in general with Monte Carlo models and are consistent with measurements made at $e^+ e^-$ colliders, except for an enhancement of baryon relative to meson production in photoproduction.
Differential K0S cross section in DIS events as a function of transverse momentum (lab). for Q**2 from 5 to 25 GeV**2.
Differential K0S cross section in DIS events as a function of transverse momentum (lab). for Q**2 > 25 GeV**2.
Differential K0S cross section in DIS events as a function of pseudorapidity (lab). for Q**2 from 5 to 25 GeV**2.
A new method is employed to measure the neutral current cross section up to Bjorken-x values of one with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 65.1 pb-1 for e+p collisions and 16.7 pb-1 for e-p collisions at sqrt{s}=318 GeV and 38.6 pb-1 for e+p collisions at sqrt{s}=300 GeV. Cross sections have been extracted for Q2 >= 648 GeV2 and are compared to predictions using different parton density functions. For the highest x bins, the data have a tendency to lie above the expectations using recent parton density function parametrizations.
The double differential cross section for the 96-97 E+ P NC scattering data.
The double differential cross section for the 96-97 E+ P NC scattering data.
The double differential cross section for the 96-97 E+ P NC scattering data.
Double-tagged interactions of photons with virtualities Q^2 between 10 GeV^2 and 200 GeV^2 are studied with the data collected by DELPHI at LEPII from 1998 to 2000, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 550 pb^{-1}. The gam* gam* -> mu+mu- data agree with QED predictions. The cross-section of the reaction gam* gam* -> hadrons is measured and compared to the LO and NLO BFKL calculations.
Measured cross section for the process E+ E- --> E+ E- HADRONS.
Measured cross section for the process GAMMA* GAMMA* --> HADRONS.
Differential cross section for GAMMA* GAMMA* --> MU+ MU-.
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.
Measurement of the proton structure function F2 at Q**2 = 2.7 GeV**2.
Measurement of the proton structure function F2 at Q**2 = 4.0 GeV**2.
Measurement of the proton structure function F2 at Q**2 = 6.0 GeV**2.
Deep-inelastic positron-proton interactions at low values of Bjorken-x down to x \approx 4.10^-5 which give rise to high transverse momentum pi^0 mesons are studied with the H1 experiment at HERA. The inclusive cross section for pi^0 mesons produced at small angles with respect to the proton remnant (the forward region) is presented as a function of the transverse momentum and energy of the pi^0 and of the four-momentum transfer Q^2 and Bjorken-x. Measurements are also presented of the transverse energy flow in events containing a forward pi^0 meson. Hadronic final state calculations based on QCD models implementing different parton evolution schemes are confronted with the data.
The inclusive PI0 cross section as a function of the Bjorken X.
The inclusive PI0 cross section as a function of the Bjorken X.
The inclusive PI0 cross section as a function of the Bjorken X.
The exclusive electroproduction of J/psi mesons, ep->epJ/psi, has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA for virtualities of the exchanged photon in the ranges 0.15<Q^2<0.8 GeV^2 and 2<Q^2<100 GeV^2 using integrated luminosities of 69 pb^-1 and 83 pb^-1, respectively.The photon-proton centre-of-mass energy was in the range 30<W<220 GeV and the squared four-momentum transfer at the proton vertex |t|<1.The cross sections and decay angular distributions are presented as functions of Q^2, W and t. The effective parameters of the Pomeron trajectory are in agreement with those found in J/psi photoproduction. The spin-density matrix elements, calculated from the decay angular distributions, are consistent with the hypothesis of s-channel helicity conservation. The ratio of the longitudinal to transverse cross sections, sigma_L/sigma_T, grows with Q^2, whilst no dependence on W or t is observed. The results are in agreement with perturbative QCD calculations and exhibit a strong sensitivity to the gluon distribution in the proton.
Cross sections for exclusive J/PSI production as a function of W in the Q**2 region 0.15 to 0.18 GeV**2.
Cross sections for exclusive J/PSI production as a function of W in the Q**2 region 2 to 5 GeV**2.
Cross sections for exclusive J/PSI production as a function of W in the Q**2 region 5 to 10 GeV**2.
Cross sections for e^+p neutral current deep inelastic scattering have been measured at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt{s}=318 GeV with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 63.2 pb^-1. The double-differential cross section, d^2sigma/dxdQ^2, is presented for 200 GeV^2 < Q^2 < 30000 GeV^2 and for 0.005 < x < 0.65. The single-differential cross-sections dsigma/dQ^2, dsigma/dx and dsigma/dy are presented for Q^2 > 200 GeV^2. The effect of Z-boson exchange is seen in dsigma/dx measured for Q^2 > 10000 GeV^2. The data presented here were combined with ZEUS e^+p neutral current data taken at sqrt{s}=300 GeV and the structure function F_2^{em} was extracted. All results agree well with the predictions of the Standard Model.
The single differential DSIG/DQ**2 cross section corrected to the electroweak Born level. See next table for a breakdown of the systematic errors.
Systematic errors with bin to bin correlations for the cross section DSIG/DQ**2.
Single differential cross section DSIG/DX for a Q**2 cut of 200 GeV**2 corrected to the electroweak Born level.
Cross sections for the production of two isolated muons up to high di-muon masses are measured in ep collisions at HERA with the H1 detector in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 71 pb^-1 at a centre of mass energy of sqrt{s} = 319 GeV. The results are in good agreement with Standard Model predictions, the dominant process being photon-photon interactions. Additional muons or electrons are searched for in events with two high transverse momentum muons using the full data sample corresponding to 114 pb^-1, where data at sqrt{s} = 301 GeV and sqrt{s} = 319 GeV are combined. Both the di-lepton sample and the tri-lepton sample agree well with the predictions.
Integrated cross sections for electroweak muon pair production in the evaluated phase space. The cross section has the di-muon contributions from UPSILON, TAU-PAIR and QUARK-QUARKBAR decay subtracted.
Cross section for the production of two muons in e p interactions as a function of the di-muon mass. This data sample includes di-muons from UPSILON, TAU-PAIR and QUARK-QUARKBAR decays.
Cross section for the production of two muons as a function of the muon transverse momentum (two entries per event).
Inclusive production of $D^*(2010)$ mesons in deep inelastic scattering has been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 81.9 pb$^{-1}$. The decay channel $D^{* +}\to D^0 \pi^+ $ with $D^0\to K^-\pi^+$ and corresponding antiparticle decay were used to identify $D^*$ mesons. Differential $D^*$ cross sections with $1.5<Q^2<1000$ GeV$^2$ and $0.02<y<0.7$ in the kinematic region $1.5<p_T(D^*)<15$ GeV and $|\eta(D^*)|<1.5$ are compared to different QCD calculations incorporating different parameterisations of the parton densities in the proton. The data show sensitivity to the gluon distribution in the proton and are reasonably well described by next-to-leading-order QCD with the ZEUS NLO QCD fit used as the input parton density in the proton. The observed cross section is extrapolated to the full kinematic region in $p_T(D^*)$ and $\eta(D^*)$ in order to determine the open-charm contribution, $F_2^{\rm charm}(x,Q^2)$, to the proton structure function, $F_2$. Since, at low $Q^2$, the uncertainties of the data are comparable to those from the QCD fit, the measured differential cross sections in $y$ and $Q^2$ should be used in future fits to constrain the gluon density.
Overall total cross section. The second DSYS error is due to the uncertainty in the BR for D* and D0 decay.
Measured differential cross section as a function of Q**2.
Measured differential cross section as a function of X.
Cross sections for e^+p charged current deep inelastic scattering at a centre-of-mass energy of 318 GeV have been determined with an integrated luminosity of 60.9pb^-1 collected with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The differential cross sections dsigma/dQ^2, dsigma/dx and dsigma/dy for Q^2>200 GeV^2 are presented. In addition, d^2sigma/dxdQ^2 has been measured in the kinematic range 280 GeV^2 < Q^2 < 17000 GeV^2 and 0.008 < x < 0.42. The predictions of the Standard Model agree well with the measured cross sections. The mass of the W boson propagator is determined to be M_W=78.9 +/- 2.0 (stat.) +/- 1.8 (syst.) +2.0 -1.8 (PDF) GeV from a fit to dsigma/dQ^2. The chiral structure of the Standard Model is also investigated in terms of the (1-y)^2 dependence of the the double-differential cross section. The structure-function F_2^CC has been extracted by combining the measurements presented here with previous ZEUS results from e^-p scattering, extending the measurement obtained in a neutrino-nucleus scattering experiment to a significantly higher Q^2 region.
The total cross section for Q**2 > 200 GeV**2.
The differential cross section as a function of Q**2.
The differential cross section as a function of X.
Exclusive production of π and K meson pairs in two photon collisions is measured with ALEPH data collected between 1992 and 2000. Cross-sections are presented as a function of cos θ ∗ and invariant mass, for | cos θ ∗ |<0.6 and invariant masses between 2.0 and 6.0 GeV/ c 2 (2.25 and 4.0 GeV/ c 2 ) for pions (kaons). The shape of the distributions are found to be well described by QCD predictions but the data have a significantly higher normalization.
Measured angular distribution for pion production.
Measured angular distribution for kaon production.
Measured cross section for pion production as a function of W.
The interaction of virtual photons is investigated using double tagged gammagamma events with hadronic final states recorded by the ALEPH experiment at e^+e^- centre-of-mass energies between 188 and 209 GeV. The measured cross section is compared to Monte Carlo models, and to next-to-leading-order QCD and BFKL calculations.
Differential cross section as a function of the relative energy of the scattered electrons.
Differential cross section as a function of the polar angle THETA of the scattered electrons.
Differential cross section as a function of the virtuality Q**2 of the photons.
For the first time at LEP the production of prompt photons is studied in the collisions of quasi-real photons using the OPAL data taken at e+e- centre-of-mass energies between 183 GeV and 209 GeV. The total inclusive production cross-section for isolated prompt photons in the kinematic range of photon transverse momentum larger than 3.0 GeV and absolute photon pseudorapidity less than 1 is determined to be 0.32 +- 0.04 (stat) +- 0.04 (sys) pb. Differential cross-sections are compared to the predictions of a next-to-leading-order (NLO) calculation.
The total prompt photon cross section in the kinematic range defined by theanti tagging condition.
Differential cross section in PT.
Differential cross section in ETARAP.
The inclusive e^+ p single and double differential cross sections for neutral and charged current processes are measured with the H1 detector at HERA. The data were taken in 1999 and 2000 at a centre-of-mass energy of \sqrt{s} = 319 GeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 65.2 pb^-1. The cross sections are measured in the range of four-momentum transfer squared Q^2 between 100 and 30000 GeV^2 and Bjorken x between 0.0013 and 0.65. The neutral current analysis for the new e^+ p data and the earlier e^- p data taken in 1998 and 1999 is extended to small energies of the scattered electron and therefore to higher values of inelasticity y, allowing a determination of the longitudinal structure function F_L at high Q^2 (110 - 700 GeV^2). A new measurement of the structure function x F_3 is obtained using the new e^+ p and previously published e^\pm p neutral current cross section data at high Q^2. These data together with H1 low Q^2 precision data are further used to perform new next-to-leading order QCD analyses in the framework of the Standard Model to extract flavour separated parton distributions in the proton.
The NC cross section DSIG/DQ**2. There is an additional 1.5 PCT normalization uncertainty.
The CC cross section DSIG/DQ**2. There is an additional 1.5 PCT normalization uncertainty.
The NC cross section DSIG/DX for Q**2 > 1000 GeV**2. There is an additional 1.5 PCT normalization uncertainty.
The inclusive production of D$^{*\pm}$ mesons in two-photon collisions is measured with the ALEPH detector at $\epem$ centre-of-mass energies from 183$\unit{GeV}$ to 209$\unit{GeV}$. A total of $360 \pm 27$ D$^{*\pm}$ meson events were observed from an integrated luminosity of 699\unit{pb^{-1}}$. Contributions from direct and single-resolved rocesses are separated using the ratio of the transverse momentum $p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}}$ of the D$^{*\pm}$ to the visible invariant mass $W_{\mathrm{vis}}$ of the event. Differential cross sections of D$^{*\pm}$ production as functions of $p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}}$ and the pseudorapidity $|\eta^{\rm D^{*\pm}}| $ are measured in the range $ 2\unit{GeV}/c < p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}} < 12\unit{GeV}/c $ and $ |\eta^{\rm D^{*\pm}}| < 1.5 $. They are compared to next-to-leading order (NLO)perturbative QCD calculations. The extrapolation of the integrated visible D$^{*\pm}$ cross section to the total charm cross section, based on the Pythia Monte Carlo program, yields $ \sigma (\epem \to \epem \ccbar)_ {=197\unit{GeV}} = 731 \pm 74_{\mathrm{stat}} \pm 47_{\mathrm{syst}} \pm 157_{\mathrm{extr}} \unit{pb} $.
Total extrapolated charm production cross section. The second DSYS error isdue to the uncertainty in the extrapolation.
Visible cross section with the acceptance range.
Visible cross section within the acceptance ranges for the three decay modes observed.
Di-jet producion is studied in collisions of quasi-real photons at e+e- centre- of-mass energies sqrt(s)ee from 189 to 209 GeV at LEP. The data were collected with the OPAL detector. Jets are reconstructed using an inclusive k_t clustering algorithm for all cross-section measurements presented. A cone jet algorithm is used in addition to study the different structure of the jets resulting from either of the algorithms. The inclusive di-jet cross-section is measured as a function of the mean transverse energy Etm(jet) of the two leading jets, and as a functiuon of the estimated fraction of the photon momentum carried by the parton entering the hard sub-process, xg, for different regions of Etm (jet). Angular distribution in di-jet events are measured and used to demonstrate the dominance of quark and gluon initiated processes in different regions of phase space. Furthermore the inclusive di-jet cross-section as a function of |eta(jet)| and |delta eta (jet)| is presented where eta(jet) is the jet pseudo-rapidity. Different regions of the xg+ -xg- -space are explored to study and control the influence of an underlying event. The results are compared to next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations and to the predictions of the leading order Monte Carlo generator PYTHIA.
The di-jet cross section as a function of the angle between the jet and thedirection of the incoming parton in the centre-of-mass frame for the region whe re both X(C=GAMMA+) and X(C=GAMMA-) are > 0.75.
The di-jet cross section as a function of the angle between the jet and thedirection of the incoming parton in the centre-of-mass frame for the region whe re both X(C=GAMMA+) and X(C=GAMMA-) are < 0.75.
The di-jet cross section as a function of the mean transverse energy of thedi-jet system for the full X(C=GAMMA+) and X(C=GAMMA-) region.
Inclusive phi-meson production in neutral current deep inelastic e+p scattering has been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 45 pb^{-1}. The phi mesons were studied in the range 10<Q2<100 GeV2, where Q2 is the virtuality of the exchanged photon, and in restricted kinematic regions in the transverse momentum, p_T, pseudorapidity, eta, and the scaled momentum in the Breit frame, x_p. Monte Carlo models with the strangeness-suppression factor as determined by analyses of e+e- annihilation events overestimate the cross sections. A smaller value of the strangeness-suppression factor reduces the predicted cross sections, but fails to reproduce the shapes of the measured differential cross sections. High-momentum phi mesons in the current region of the Breit frame give the first direct evidence for the strange sea in the proton at low x.
The total PHI meson cross section, corrected for acceptance (45%) in the given kinematical region.
Differential PHI meson cross section as a function of its transverse momentum.
Differential PHI meson cross section as a function of its pseudorapidity.
The azimuthal distribution of jets produced in the Breit frame in high-Q**2 deep inelastic e+p scattering has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 38.6 pb-1. The measured azimuthal distribution shows a structure that is well described by next-to-leading-order QCD predictions over the Q**2 range considered, Q**2>125 GeV**2.
The normalised differential cross section as a function of azimuthal angle for inclusive jet production in the Breit frame.
The folded normalised differential cross section as a function of azimuthalangle for inclusive jet production in the Breit frame.
The folded normalised differential cross section as a function of azimuthalangle for inclusive jet production in the Breit frame.
The cross sections for inelastic photoproduction of J/psi and psi' mesons have been measured in ep collisions with the ZEUS detector at HERA, using an integrated luminosity of 38.0 pb-1. The events were required to have 0.1 < z < 0.9 and 50 < W < 180 GeV, where z is the fraction of the incident photon energy carried by the J/psi in the proton rest frame and W is the photon-proton centre-of-mass energy. The psi' to J/psi cross-section ratio was measured in the range 0.55 < z < 0.9. The J/psi data, for various ranges of transverse momentum, are compared to theoretical models incorporating colour-singlet and colour-octet matrix elements. Predictions of a next-to-leading-order colour-singlet model give a good description of the data, although there is a large normalisation uncertainty. The J/psi helicity distribution for z > 0.4 is compared to leading-order QCD predictions.
Measurment of the total cross section, with various PT thresholds, in the high Z > 0.9 region.
Ratio of cross section for PSI(2S) to J/PSI production. as a function of PT. Statistical errors only.
Ratio of cross section for PSI(2S) to J/PSI production. as a function of W. Statistical errors only.
A measurement of inclusive jet cross-sections in deep-inelastic ep scattering at HERA is presented based on data with an integrated luminosity of 21.1 pb^-1. The measurement is performed for photon virtualities Q^2 between 5 and 100 GeV^2, differentially in Q^2, in the jet transverse energy E_T, in E_T^2/Q^2 and in the pseudorapidity eta_lab. With the renormalization scale mu_R = E_T, perturbative QCD calculations in next-to-leading order (NLO) give a good description of the data in most of the phase space. Significant discrepancies are observed only for jets in the proton beam direction with E_T below 20 GeV and Q^2 below 20 GeV^2. This corresponds to the region in which NLO corrections are largest and further improvement of the calculations is thus of particular interest.
Inclusive jet cross sections DSIG/DET(JET) as a function of ET(JET) in three pseudorapidity ranges.
Inclusive jet cross sections DSIG/DET(JET) as a function of ET(JET) in five Q**2 ranges for the forward pseudorapidity range 1.5 to 2.8.
Inclusive jet cross section DSIG/D(ET**2/Q**2) in the pseudorapidity range -1.0 to 0.5.
Diffractive photoproduction of vector mesons, gamma p --> V Y, where Y is a proton-dissociative system, has been measured in ep interactions with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 25 pb^-1. The differential cross section, ds/dt, is presented for -t<12 GeV^2, where t is the square of the four-momentum transferred to the vector meson. The data span the range in photon-proton centre-of-mass energy, W, from 80 GeV to 120 GeV. The t distributions are well fit by a power law, ds/dt ~ (-t)^{-n}. The slope of the Pomeron trajectory, measured from the W dependence of the rho^0 and phi cross sections in bins of t, is consistent with zero. The ratios ds_(gamma p --> phi Y)/dt to ds_(gamma p --> rho^0 Y)/dt and ds_(gamma p --> J/psi Y)/dt to ds_(gamma p --> rho^0 Y)/dt increase with increasing -t. Decay-angle analyses for rho^0, phi and J/psi mesons have been carried out. For the rho^0 and phi mesons, contributions from single and double helicity flip are observed. The results are compared to expectations of theoretical models.
Differential cross section for RHO0 production. The second DSYS error is due to the modelling of the proton-dissociation process.
Differential cross section for PHI production. The second DSYS error is due to the modelling of the proton-dissociation process.
Differential cross section for J/PSI production. The second DSYS error is due to the modelling of the proton-dissociation process.
The production of neutrons carrying at least 20% of the proton beam energy ($\xl > 0.2$) in $e^+p$ collisions has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA for a wide range of $Q^2$, the photon virtuality, from photoproduction to deep inelastic scattering. The neutron-tagged cross section, $e p\to e' X n$, is measured relative to the inclusive cross section, $e p\to e' X$, thereby reducing the systematic uncertainties. For $\xl >$ 0.3, the rate of neutrons in photoproduction is about half of that measured in hadroproduction, which constitutes a clear breaking of factorisation. There is about a 20% rise in the neutron rate between photoproduction and deep inelastic scattering, which may be attributed to absorptive rescattering in the $\gamma p$ system. For $0.64 < \xl < 0.82$, the rate of neutrons is almost independent of the Bjorken scaling variable $x$ and $Q^2$. However, at lower and higher $\xl$ values, there is a clear but weak dependence on these variables, thus demonstrating the breaking of limiting fragmentation. The neutron-tagged structure function, ${{F}^{\rm\tiny LN(3)}_2}(x,Q^2,\xl)$, rises at low values of $x$ in a way similar to that of the inclusive \ff of the proton. The total $\gamma \pi$ cross section and the structure function of the pion, $F^{\pi}_2(x_\pi,Q^2)$ where $x_\pi = x/(1-\xl)$, have been determined using a one-pion-exchange model, up to uncertainties in the normalisation due to the poorly understood pion flux. At fixed $Q^2$, $F^{\pi}_2$ has approximately the same $x$ dependence as $F_2$ of the proton.
The XL bins, their acceptance and the acceptance uncertainty. The RH columnshows the contribution from the energy-scale uncertainty - this is completely c orrelated between the bins.
The slope of the PT**2 distribution from the 1995 DIS data. The uncertainties shown in this table were communicated to us by the authors, and supercede those given in the paper.
The normalized cross section (1/SIG)DSIG/dXL for leading neutrons with THETA < 0.8 mrad with statistical errors only.. For the lowest Q**2 data, the normalization uncertainty is +-5 PCT, and with XL > 0.52 there is a further normalization uncertainty of +-4 PCT.. For the intermediate Q**2 and DIS data the normalization uncertainty is +-4 PCT.
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