We have made the first measurements of the virtual Compton scattering process via the e p -> e p gamma exclusive reaction at Q**2 = 1 GeV**2 in the nucleon resonance region. The cross section is obtained at center of mass (CM) backward angle, theta_gamma_gamma*, in a range of total (gamma* p) CM energy W from the proton mass up to W = 1.91 GeV. The data show resonant structures in the first and second resonance regions, and are well reproduced at higher W by the Bethe-Heitler+Born cross section, including t-channel pi0-exchange. At high W, our data, together with existing real photon data, show a striking Q**2 independence. Our measurement of the ratio of H(e,e'p)gamma to H(e,e'p)pi0 cross sections is presented and compared to model predictions.
Cross section for the reaction E P --> E P GAMMA at a polar angle given by COS(THETA) = -0.975 and azimuthal angle PHI = 15 degrees both in the centre-of-mass frame of the GAMMA* P --> GAMMA* P reaction.
Cross section for the reaction E P --> E P GAMMA at a polar angle given by COS(THETA) = -0.975 and azimuthal angle PHI = 45 degrees both in the centre-of-mass frame of the GAMMA* P --> GAMMA* P reaction.
Cross section for the reaction E P --> E P GAMMA at a polar angle given by COS(THETA) = -0.975 and azimuthal angle PHI = 75 degrees both in the centre-of-mass frame of the GAMMA* P --> GAMMA* P reaction.
Exclusive electroproduction of pi0 mesons on protons in the backward hemisphere has been studied at Q**2 = 1.0 GeV**2 by detecting protons in the forward direction in coincidence with scattered electrons from the 4 GeV electron beam in Jefferson Lab's Hall A. The data span the range of the total (gamma* p) center-of-mass energy W from the pion production threshold to W = 2.0 GeV. The differential cross sections sigma_T+epsilon*sigma_L, sigma_TL, and sigma_TT were separated from the azimuthal distribution and are presented together with the MAID and SAID parametrizations.
Cross section SIG(T) + EPSILON*SIG(L) for COS(THETA*) = -0.975.
Cross section SIG(T) + EPSILON*SIG(L) for COS(THETA*) = -0.925.
Cross section SIG(T) + EPSILON*SIG(L) for COS(THETA*) = -0.875.
We have measured the transverse asymmetry from inclusive scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from polarized 3He nuclei at quasi-elastic kinematics in Hall A at Jefferson Lab with high statistical and systematic precision. The neutron magnetic form factor was extracted based on Faddeev calculations with an experimental uncertainty of less than 2 %.
Ratio of neutron magnetic form-factor to dipole value.
We have measured the parity-violating electroweak asymmetry in the elastic scattering of polarized electrons from the proton. The kinematic point (theta_lab = 12.3 degrees and Q^2=0.48 (GeV/c)^2) is chosen to provide sensitivity, at a level that is of theoretical interest, to the strange electric form factor G_E^s. The result, A=-14.5 +- 2.2 ppm, is consistent with the electroweak Standard Model and no additional contributions from strange quarks. In particular, the measurement implies G_E^s + 0.39G_M^s = 0.023 +- 0.034 (stat) +- 0.022 (syst) +- 0.026 (delta G_E^n), where the last uncertainty arises from the estimated uncertainty in the neutron electric form factor.
Longitudinally polarized beam. C=L and C=R means left- and right polarization. The second systematic uncertainty arises from the estimated uncertainty inthe neutron electromagnetic from factor.
We report on measurements of the neutron spin asymmetries $A_{1,2}^n$ and polarized structure functions $g_{1,2}^n$ at three kinematics in the deep inelastic region, with $x=0.33$, 0.47 and 0.60 and $Q^2=2.7$, 3.5 and 4.8 (GeV/c)$^2$, respectively. These measurements were performed using a 5.7 GeV longitudinally-polarized electron beam and a polarized $^3$He target. The results for $A_1^n$ and $g_1^n$ at $x=0.33$ are consistent with previous world data and, at the two higher $x$ points, have improved the precision of the world data by about an order of magnitude. The new $A_1^n$ data show a zero crossing around $x=0.47$ and the value at $x=0.60$ is significantly positive. These results agree with a next-to-leading order QCD analysis of previous world data. The trend of data at high $x$ agrees with constituent quark model predictions but disagrees with that from leading-order perturbative QCD (pQCD) assuming hadron helicity conservation. Results for $A_2^n$ and $g_2^n$ have a precision comparable to the best world data in this kinematic region. Combined with previous world data, the moment $d_2^n$ was evaluated and the new result has improved the precision of this quantity by about a factor of two. When combined with the world proton data, polarized quark distribution functions were extracted from the new $g_1^n/F_1^n$ values based on the quark parton model. While results for $\Delta u/u$ agree well with predictions from various models, results for $\Delta d/d$ disagree with the leading-order pQCD prediction when hadron helicity conservation is imposed.
Measurements of the HE3 asymmetries.
Measurements of the HE3 spin structure functions.
Measurements of the HE3 spin structure functions.
We present the first measurement of the Q^2-dependence of the neutron spin structure function g_2^n at five kinematic points covering 0.57 (GeV/c)^2 <= Q^2 <= 1.34 (GeV/c)^2 at x~0.2. Though the naive quark-parton model predicts g_2=0, non-zero values for g_2 occur in more realistic models of the nucleon which include quark-gluon correlations, finite quark masses or orbital angular momentum. When scattering from a non-interacting quark, $g_2^n$ can be predicted using next-to-leading order fits to world data for g_1^n. Deviations from this prediction provide an opportunity to examine QCD dynamics in nucleon structure. Our results show a positive deviation from this prediction at lower Q^2, indicating that contributions such as quark-gluon interactions may be important. Precision data obtained for g_1^n are consistent with next-to-leading order fits to world data.
Measured values of G1N ang G2N.
We have measured the neutron spin asymmetry $A_1^n$ with high precision at three kinematics in the deep inelastic region at $x=0.33$, 0.47 and 0.60, and $Q^2=2.7$, 3.5 and 4.8 (GeV/c)$^2$, respectively. Our results unambiguously show, for the first time, that $A_1^n$ crosses zero around $x=0.47$ and becomes significantly positive at $x=0.60$. Combined with the world proton data, polarized quark distributions were extracted. Our results, in general, agree with relativistic constituent quark models and with perturbative quantum chromodynamics (pQCD) analyses based on the earlier data. However they deviate from pQCD predictions based on hadron helicity conservation.
Measured values of A1 and G1/F1.
A search for new long-lived particles decaying to leptons is presented using proton-proton collisions produced by the LHC at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV. Data used for the analysis were collected by the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. Events are selected with an electron and a muon that have transverse impact parameter values between 0.02 cm and 2 cm. The search has been designed to be sensitive to a wide range of models with nonprompt e-mu final states. Limits are set on the "displaced supersymmetry" model, with pair production of top squarks decaying into an e-mu final state via R-parity-violating interactions. The results are the most restrictive to date on this model, with the most stringent limit being obtained for a top squark lifetime corresponding to c tau = 2 cm, excluding masses below 790 GeV at 95% confidence level.
Numbers of expected and observed events in the three search regions (see the text for the definitions of these regions). Background and signal expectations are quoted as $N_{\text{exp}} \pm 1\sigma$ stat $\pm 1\sigma$ syst. If the estimated background is zero in a particular search region, the estimate is instead taken from the preceding region. Since this should always overestimate the background, we denote this by a preceding "<".
Expected and observed 95% CL cross section exclusion contours for top squark pair production in the plane of top squark lifetime ($c\tau$) and top squark mass. These limits assume a branching fraction of 100\% through the RPV vertex $\tilde{t}$ $\to$ b l, where the branching fraction to any lepton flavor is equal to 1/3. As indicated in the plot, the region to the left of the contours is excluded by this search.
Electron reconstruction efficiency as function of its tranverse impact parameter, $d_0$.
Charmonium is a valuable probe in heavy-ion collisions to study the properties of the quark gluon plasma, and is also an interesting probe in small collision systems to study cold nuclear matter effects, which are also present in large collision systems. With the recent observations of collective behavior of produced particles in small system collisions, measurements of the modification of charmonium in small systems have become increasingly relevant. We present the results of J/ψ measurements at forward and backward rapidity in various small collision systems, p+p, p+Al, p+Au and 3He+Au, at √sNN =200 GeV. The results are presented in the form of the observable RAB, the nuclear modification factor, a measure of the ratio of the J/ψ invariant yield compared to the scaled yield in p+p collisions. We examine the rapidity, transverse momentum, and collision centrality dependence of nuclear effects on J/ψ production with different projectile sizes p and 3He, and different target sizes Al and Au. The modification is found to be strongly dependent on the target size, but to be very similar for p+Au and 3He+Au. However, for 0%–20% central collisions at backward rapidity, the modification for 3He+Au is found to be smaller than that for p+Au, with a mean fit to the ratio of 0.89±0.03(stat)±0.08(syst), possibly indicating final state effects due to the larger projectile size.
J/psi nuclear modification in p+Au collisions as a function of nuclear thickness (T_A). The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.
Heavy quarkonia are observed to be suppressed in relativistic heavy ion collisions relative to their production in p+p collisions scaled by the number of binary collisions. In order to determine if this suppression is related to color screening of these states in the produced medium, one needs to account for other nuclear modifications including those in cold nuclear matter. In this paper, we present new measurements from the PHENIX 2007 data set of J/psi yields at forward rapidity (1.2<|y|<2.2) in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV. The data confirm the earlier finding that the suppression of J/psi at forward rapidity is stronger than at midrapidity, while also extending the measurement to finer bins in collision centrality and higher transverse momentum (pT). We compare the experimental data to the most recent theoretical calculations that incorporate a variety of physics mechanisms including gluon saturation, gluon shadowing, initial-state parton energy loss, cold nuclear matter breakup, color screening, and charm recombination. We find J/psi suppression beyond cold-nuclear-matter effects. However, the current level of disagreement between models and d+Au data precludes using these models to quantify the hot-nuclear-matter suppression.
J/psi invariant yield in Au+Au collisions as a function of $N_{part}$ at forward rapidity ($p_{T}$ integrated). The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.
J/psi nuclear modification $R_{AA}$ in Au+Au collisions as a function of $N_{part}$ at forward rapidity ($p_T$ integrated). The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.
J/psi invariant yield in Au+Au collisions as a function of transverse momentum for the 0-20% centrality class at forward rapidity. The statistical and systematic uncertainties vary point-to-point and are listed for each measured value. An additional global systematic uncertainty is provided in each column heading, which applies to all data points per column.