The differential cross section $d\sigma/dt$ for elastic $\rho~0$ photoproduction, $\gamma p \rightarrow \rho~0 p (\rho~0 \rightarrow \pi~+ \pi~-)$, has been measured in $ep$ interactions at HERA. The squared four-momentum exchanged at the proton vertex, $t$, has been determined directly by measuring the momentum of the scattered proton using the ZEUS Leading Proton Spectrometer (LPS), a large scale system of silicon micro-strip detectors operating close to the HERA proton beam. The LPS allows the measurement of the momentum of high energy protons scattered at small angles with accuracies of 0.4% for the longitudinal momentum and 5 MeV for the transverse momentum. Photoproduction of $\rho~0$ mesons has been investigated in the interval $0.073< |t| <0.40 GeV~2$, for photon virtualities $Q~2<1 GeV~2$ and photon-proton centre-of-mass energies $W$ between 50 and 100 GeV. In the measured range, the $t$ distribution exhibits an exponential shape with a slope parameter $b = 9.8 \pm 0.8 (stat.) \pm 1.1 (syst.) GeV~{-2}$. The use of the LPS eliminates the contamination from events with diffractive dissociation of the proton into low mass states.
SLOPE OF THE DSIG/DT distribution.
Total cross section integrated over t region.
Additional cross section, SIG, not given in the paper.
The total cross sections for the elastic electroproduction of $\rh0$ and $J/\Psi$ mesons for $Q~2$ $>$ 8 GeV$~2$ and $\langle W \rangle \simeq 90$ GeV/c$~2$ are measured at HERA with the H1 detector. The measurements are for an integrated electron$-$proton luminosity of $\simeq$3pb$~{-1}$. The dependences of the total virtual photon$-$proton ($\gamma~* p$) cross sections on $Q~2$, $W$ and the momentum transfer squared to the proton ($t$), and, for the $\rho$, the dependence on the polar decay angle ($\cos \theta~*$), are presented. The $J/\Psi$ : $\rh0$ cross section ratio is determined. The results are discussed in the light of theoretical models and of the interplay of hard and soft physics processes.
Overall EP cross section for M(PI+PI-) < 1.5 GEV.
Overall EP cross section, taking into account the J/PSI --> LEPTON+ LEPTON - branching fraction 0.12.
Integrated EP cross section.