The first measurement of the cross section for coherent J/$\psi$ photoproduction as a function of $|t|$, the square of the momentum transferred between the incoming and outgoing target nucleus, is presented. The data were measured with the ALICE detector in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV with the J/$\psi$ produced in the central rapidity region $|y|<0.8$, which corresponds to the small Bjorken-$x$ range $(0.3-1.4) \times 10^{-3}$. The measured $|t|$-dependence is not described by computations based only on the Pb nuclear form factor, while the photonuclear cross section is better reproduced by models including shadowing according to the leading-twist approximation, or gluon-saturation effects from the impact-parameter dependent Balitsky-Kovchegov equation. These new results are therefore a valid tool to constrain the relevant model parameters and to investigate the transverse gluonic structure at very low Bjorken-$x$.
t-dependence of coherent J/psi photonuclear production cross section in Pb-Pb UPC.
pT**2-dependence of coherent J/psi photoproduction cross section in Pb-Pb UPC.
We report measurements of differential cross sections and decay asymmetries of incoherent $\phi$-meson photoproduction from the deuteron at forward angles using linearly polarized photons at \Eg=1.5-2.4 GeV. The nuclear transparency ratio for the deuteron shows a large suppression, and is consistent with the A-dependence of the ratio observed in a previous measurement with nuclear targets. The reduction for the deuteron cannot be adequately explained in term of isospin asymmetry. The present results suggest the need of refining our understanding of the $\phi$-N interaction within a nucleus.
Distribution of DSIG/DT from incoherent reaction GAMMA DEUT --> PHI P N for the incident photon energy ranges 1.57 to 1.67 and 1.67 to 1.77 GeV.
Distribution of DSIG/DT from incoherent reaction GAMMA DEUT --> PHI P N for the incident photon energy ranges 1.77 to 1.87 and 1.87 to 1.97 GeV.
Distribution of DSIG/DT from incoherent reaction GAMMA DEUT --> PHI P N for the incident photon energy ranges 1.97 to 2.07 and 2.07 to 2.17 GeV.
Differential cross sections and decay asymmetries for coherent $\phi$-meson photoproduction from deuterons were measured for the first time at forward angles by linearly polarized photons at $E_{\gamma}$= 1.5-2.4 GeV. With the elimination of isovector unnatural-parity $\pi$-meson exchange in the interaction with isoscalar deuteron target, this reaction is expected to explore natural-parity Pomeron dynamics at low energies. Our measurements show that the cross sections at zero degrees increase steadily with photon energy and the decay asymmetries demonstrate a complete dominance of natural-parity exchange processes. Nevertheless the deduced cross sections of $\phi$-mesons from nucleons contributed by isoscalar t-channel exchange processes are mostly underpredicted by conventional Pomeron model.
Differential cross section DSIG/DT for photon energy 1.57 to 1.67 GeV.
Differential cross section DSIG/DT for photon energy 1.67 to 1.77 GeV.
Differential cross section DSIG/DT for photon energy 1.77 to 1.87 GeV.
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