The exclusive reaction $\gamma p \to p \pi^+ \pi^-$ was studied in the photon energy range 3.0 - 3.8 GeV and momentum transfer range $0.4<-t<1.0$ GeV$^2$. Data were collected with the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. In this kinematic range the integrated luminosity was about 20 pb$^{-1}$. The reaction was isolated by detecting the $\pi^+$ and proton in CLAS, and reconstructing the $\pi^-$ via the missing-mass technique. Moments of the di-pion decay angular distributions were derived from the experimental data. Differential cross sections for the $S$, $P$, and $D$-waves in the $M_{\pi^+\pi^-}$ mass range $0.4-1.4$ GeV were derived performing a partial wave expansion of the extracted moments. Besides the dominant contribution of the $\rho(770)$ meson in the $P$-wave, evidence for the $f_0(980)$ and the $f_2(1270)$ mesons was found in the $S$ and $D$-waves, respectively. The differential production cross sections $d\sigma/dt$ for individual waves in the mass range of the above-mentioned mesons were extracted. This is the first time the $f_0(980)$ has been measured in a photoproduction experiment.
Moments YLM(LM=00) of the di-pion angular distribution for -T.
Moments YLM(LM=00) of the di-pion angular distribution for -T.
Moments YLM(LM=00) of the di-pion angular distribution for -T.
Elastic and proton-dissociative photoproduction of $\rho^0$, $\phi$ and $J/\psi$ vector mesons ($\gamma p\to Vp$, $\gamma p\to VN$, respectively) have been measured in e^+p interactions at HERA up to -t=3 GeV$^2$, where t is the four-momentum transfer squared at the photon-vector meson vertex. The analysis is based on a data sample in which photoproduction reactions were tagged by detection of the scattered positron in a special-purpose calorimeter. This limits the photon virtuality, Q^2, to values less than 0.01 GeV$^2$, and selects a $\gamma p$ average center-of-mass energy of <W> = 94 GeV. Results for the differential cross sections, d$\sigma$/d$t$, for $\rho^0$, $\phi$ and $J/\psi$ mesons are presented and compared to the results of recent QCD calculations. Results are also presented for the t-dependence of the pion-pair invariant-mass distribution in the $\rho^0$ mass region and of the spin-density matrix elements determined from the decay-angle distributions. The Pomeron trajectory has been derived from measurements of the W dependence of the elastic differential cross sections d$\sigma$/d$t$ for both $\rho^0$ and $\phi$ mesons.
Differential cross section for proton-dissociative RHO0 photoproduction.
Differential cross section for elastic RHO0 photoproduction.
The ratio of the elastic to proton-dissociative cross sections for RHO0 photoproduction.
Elastic and proton-dissociative rho0 photoproduction (gamma p-->rho0 p,gamma p -->rho0 N,with rho0-->pi+pi-) has been studied in ep interactions at HERA for gamma-p centre-of-mass energies in the range 50<W<100 GeV and for |t|<0.5 GeV2; the results on the p-dissociative reaction are presented for masses of the dissociated proton system in the range MN^2<0.1W^2.For the elastic process,the pi+pi- invariant mass spectrum has been investigated as a function of t. As in fixed target experiments, the rho0 resonance shape is asymmetric;this asymmetry decreases with increasing |t|.The cross section has been studied as a function of W; a fit to the resonant part with the form W^a gives a=0.16\pm0.06(stat.) +0.11-0.15(syst.). The resonant part of the gamma p-->pi+pi- p cross section is 11.2\pm 0.1(stat.)+1.1-1.2 (syst.) mub at <W>=71.7 GeV. The t dependence of the cross section can be described by a function of the type Ae^(-b|t|+ct^2) with b=10.9\pm0.3(stat.)+1.0-0.5(syst.)GeV-2 and c=2.7\pm0.9(stat.)+1.9-1.7(syst.) GeV-4. The t dependence has also been studied as a function of W and a value of the slope of the pomeron trajectory 0.23\pm0.15(stat.)+0.10-0.07(syst.)GeV-2 has been deduced. The rho spin density matrix elements r^04_00,r^04_1-1 and Re[r^04_10] have been measured and found to be consistent with expectations based on SCHC. For p-dissociative pi+pi- photoproduction in the rho0 mass range, the distributions of the two-pion invariant mass, W and the polar and azimuthal angles of the pions in the helicity frame are the same within errors as those for the elastic process. The t distribution has been fitted to an exponential function with a slope parameter 5.8\pm0.3(stat.)\pm0.5(syst.)GeV-2. The ratio of the elastic to p-dissociative rho0 photoproduction cross section is 2.0\pm0.2(stat.)\pm0.7(syst.).
Integrated elastic rho0 photoproduction cross section.
Integrated elastic pi+ pi- photoproduction cross section.
Differential T distribution. Statistical errors only.
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