The exclusive omega electroproduction off the proton was studied in a large kinematical domain above the nucleon resonance region and for the highest possible photon virtuality (Q2) with the 5.75 GeV beam at CEBAF and the CLAS spectrometer. Cross sections were measured up to large values of the four-momentum transfer (-t < 2.7 GeV2) to the proton. The contributions of the interference terms sigma_TT and sigma_TL to the cross sections, as well as an analysis of the omega spin density matrix, indicate that helicity is not conserved in this process. The t-channel pi0 exchange, or more generally the exchange of the associated Regge trajectory, seems to dominate the reaction gamma* p -> omega p, even for Q2 as large as 5 GeV2. Contributions of handbag diagrams, related to Generalized Parton Distributions in the nucleon, are therefore difficult to extract for this process. Remarkably, the high-t behaviour of the cross sections is nearly Q2-independent, which may be interpreted as a coupling of the photon to a point-like object in this kinematical limit.
Total cross sections and interference terms (TT and TL).
Differential cross sections DSIG/DT for Q**2 = 1.725 GeV**2 and W = 2.77 GeV.
Differential cross sections DSIG/DT for Q**2 = 1.752 GeV**2 and W = 2.48 GeV.
Compton scattering from the proton was investigated at s=6.9 (GeV/c)**2 and \t=-4.0 (GeV/c)**2 via polarization transfer from circularly polarized incident photons. The longitudinal and transverse components of the recoil proton polarization were measured. The results are in excellent agreement with a prediction based on a reaction mechanism in which the photon interacts with a single quark carrying the spin of the proton and in disagreement with a prediction of pQCD based on a two-gluon exchange mechanism.
Polarization transfer parameters.
The diffractive photoproduction of J/psi mesons is measured with the H1 detector at the ep collider HERA using an integrated luminosity of 78 pb^-1. The differential cross section d sigma(gamma p -> J/psi Y) / d t is studied in the range 2 < |t| < 30 GeV^2, where t is the square of the four-momentum transferred at the proton vertex. The cross section is also presented as a function of the photon-proton centre-of-mass energy W in three t intervals, spanning the range 50 < W < 200 GeV. A fast rise of the cross section with W is observed for each t range and the slope for the effective linear Pomeron trajectory is measured to be alpha^\prime= -0.0135 \pm 0.0074 (stat.) \pm 0.0051 (syst.) GeV^-2. The measurements are compared with perturbative QCD models based on BFKL and DGLAP evolution. The data are found to be compatible with s-channel helicity conservation.
The differential photoproduction cross section DSIG/DT for diffractive J/PSI production.
The J/PSI photoproduction cross section as a function of W for the ABS(T) range 2 to 5 GeV**2.
The J/PSI photoproduction cross section as a function of W for the ABS(T) range 5 to 10 GeV**2.
The helicity structure of the diffractive electroproduction of rho mesons, e + p -> e + rho + Y, is studied in a previously unexplored region of large four-momentum transfer squared at the proton vertex, t: 0 < t' < 3 GeV^2, where t' = |t| - |t|_min. The data used are collected with the H1 detector at HERA in the kinematic domain 2.5 < Q^2 < 60 GeV^2, 40 < W < 120 GeV. No t dependence of the r^04_00 spin density matrix element is found. A significant t dependent helicity non-conservation from the virtual photon to the rho meson is observed for the spin density matrix element combinations r^5_00+2r^5_11 and r^1_00+2r^1_11. These t dependences are consistently described by a perturbative QCD model based on the exchange of two gluons.
Measurements of the combinations of spin density matrices as a function of TP = |T| - |Tmin|, where |Tmin| is the minimal values of |T| kinematically required for the vector meson and the system X to aquire their effective mass through longitudinal momentum transfer.
The elastic electroproduction of phi mesons is studied at HERA with the H1 detector for photon virtualities 1 < Q^2 < 15 GeV^2 and hadronic centre of mass energies 40 < W < 130 GeV. The Q^2 and t dependences of the cross section are extracted (t being the square of the four-momentum transfer to the target proton). When plotted as function of (Q^2 + M_V^2) and scaled by the appropriate SU(5) quark charge factor, the phi meson cross section agrees within errors with the cross sections of the vector mesons V = rho, omega and J/psi. A detailed analysis is performed of the phi meson polarisation state and the ratio of the production cross sections for longitudinally and transversely polarised phi mesons is determined. A small but significant violation of s-channel helicity conservation (SCHC) is observed.
The measured ratio of PHI to RHO0 production.
The cross section for elastic PHI meson electro-production calculated by multiplying the PHI/RHO0 cross section ratio by the RHO0 cross section accurately measured in the earlier H1 publication (EPJ C13,371).
The corrected T distribution of elastic PHI meson production for W around 75 GeV and Q2 in the range 2.5 to 15 GeV**2 (mean = 4.8 GeV**2). Statistical error only.
The electroproduction of J/psi and psi(2S) mesons is studied in elastic, quasi-elastic and inclusive reactions for four momentum transfers 2 < Q^2 < 80 GeV^2 and photon-proton centre of mass energies 25 < W < 180 GeV. The data were taken with the H1 detector at the electron proton collider HERA in the years 1995 to 1997. The total virtual photon-proton cross section for elastic J/psi production is measured as a function of Q^2 and W. The dependence of the production rates on the square of the momentum transfer from the proton (t) is extracted. Decay angular distributions are analysed and the ratio of the longitudinal and transverse cross sections is derived. The ratio of the cross sections for quasi-elastic psi(2S) and J/psi meson production is measured as a function of Q^2. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical models based upon perturbative QCD. Differential cross sections for inclusive and inelastic production of J/psi mesons are determined and predictions within two theoretical frameworks are compared with the data, the non-relativistic QCD factorization approach including colour octet and colour singlet contributions, and the model of Soft Colour Interactions.
Cross section for elastic J/PSI photoproduction in W bins.
Cross section for elastic J/PSI photoproduction in W bins.
Cross section for elastic J/PSI photoproduction in W bins.
The elastic electroproduction of rho mesons is studied at HERA with the H1 detector for a photon virtuality in the range 1 < Q^2 < 60 GeV^2 and for a hadronic centre of mass energy in the range 30 < W < 140 GeV. The shape of the pipi mass distribution in the rho resonance region is measured as a function of Q^2. The full set of rho spin density matrix elements is determined, and evidence is found for a helicity flip amplitude at the level of 8 +- 3 % of the non-flip amplitudes. Measurements are presented of the dependence of the cross section on Q^2, W and t (the four-momentum transfer squared to the proton). They suggest that, especially at large Q^2, the gamma^*p cross section develops a stronger W dependence than that expected from the behaviour of elastic and total hadron-hadron cross sections.
Average values of the spin density matrix elements measured for the 1996 data sample.
Spin density matrix elements measured for 3 Q**2 values for the 1996 data sample.
Spin density matrix elements measured for 3 W values for the 1996 data sample.
Surprisingly large polarizations in hyperon production by unpolarized protons have been known for a long time. The spin dynamics of the production process can be further investigated with polarized beams. Recently, a negative asymmetry AN was found in inclusive Λ0 production with a 200GeV/c transversely polarized proton beam. The depolarization DNN in p↑+p→Λ0+X has been measured with the same beam over a wide xF range and at moderate pT. DNN reaches positive values of about 30% at high xF and pT∼1.0GeV/c. This result shows a sizable spin transfer from the incident polarized proton to the outgoing Λ0.
Errors are statistical only. The systematic errors are estimated to be negligible.
Errors are statistical only. The systematic errors are estimated to be negligible.
Errors are statistical only. The systematic errors are estimated to be negligible.
We present experimental results on measuring a single spin asymmetry in η-meson production in the interaction of transversely polarized protons and antiprotons at p lab = 200 GeV / c with a proton target in the region 0.2 < x F < 0.7 for p ↑ p , 0.3 < x F < 0.7 for p ̄ ↑p and 0.7 < p T < 2.0 GeV / c . A comparison of single spin asymmetries in π- and η-meson production is made.
The true asymmetry for ETA production in proton-proton collisions.
The true asymmetry for ETA production in antiproton-proton collisions.
The electroproduction of rho mesons with proton diffractive dissociation for Q^2 > 7 GeV^2 and the elastic electroproduction of Phi mesons for Q^2 > 6 Gev^2 are studied in e^+ p collisions at HERA with the H1 detector, for an integrated luminosity of 2.8 pb-1. The dependence of the cross sections on P_t^2 and Q^2 is measured, and the vector meson polarisation obtained. The cross section ratio between proton dissociative and elastic production of rho mesons is measured and discussed in the framework of the factorisation hypothesis of diffractive vertices. The ratio of the elastic cross section for Phi and rho meson production is investigated as a function of Q^2.
Corrected PT**2 distribution for RHO production from the proton dissociative sample. Statistical errors only.
Cross sections and ratio of proton dissociative to elastic cross sections.
Cross sections and ratio of proton dissociative to elastic cross sections.