Observation of coherent $\phi$(1020) meson photoproduction in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\text{NN}}$ = 5.36 TeV

The CMS collaboration Chekhovsky, Vladimir ; Hayrapetyan, Aram ; Makarenko, Vladimir ; et al.
CMS-HIN-24-009, 2025.
Inspire Record 2908607 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.156183

The first observation of coherent $\phi$(1020) meson photoproduction off heavy nuclei is presented using ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5.36 TeV. The data were collected by the CMS experiment and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 1.68 $\mu$b$^{-1}$. The $\phi$(1020) meson signals are reconstructed via the K$^+$K$^-$ decay channel. The production cross section is presented as a function of the $\phi$(1020) meson rapidity in the range 0.3 $\lt$$\lvert y\rvert$$\lt$ 1.0, probing gluons that carry a fraction of the nucleon momentum ($x$) around $10^{-4}$. The observed cross section exhibits little dependence on rapidity and is significantly suppressed, by a factor of ${\sim}$5, compared to a baseline model that treats a nucleus as a collection of free nucleons. Theoretical models that incorporate either nuclear shadowing or gluon saturation predict suppression of the $\phi$(1020) meson cross section with only a small dependence on rapidity, but the magnitude of the predicted suppression varies greatly. Models considering only nuclear shadowing effects result in the best agreement with the experimental data. This study establishes a powerful new tool for exploring nuclear effects and nuclear gluonic structure in the small-$x$ regime at a unique energy scale bridging the perturbative and nonperturbative quantum chromodynamics domains.

1 data table

The differential coherent $\phi$ photoproduction cross section and the nuclear suppression factor as a function of rapidity.


Small-$x$ evolution of gluon fields from incoherent J/$\psi$ photoproduction in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions

The CMS collaboration Chekhovsky, Vladimir ; Hayrapetyan, Aram ; Makarenko, Vladimir ; et al.
Phys.Rev.Lett. 135 (2025) 112301, 2025.
Inspire Record 2899343 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.156185

Incoherent J/$ψ$ photoproduction in heavy ion ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) provides a sensitive probe of localized, fluctuating gluonic structures within heavy nuclei. This study reports the first measurement of the photon-nucleon center-of-mass energy ($W_{γ\mathrm{N}}$) dependence of this process in PbPb UPCs at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV, using 1.52 nb$^{-1}$ of data recorded by the CMS experiment. The measurement covers a wide $W_{γ\mathrm{N}}$ range of $\approx$ 40-400 GeV, probing gluons carrying a fraction $x$ of nucleon momentum down to an unexplored region of 6.5 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$. Compared to baseline predictions neglecting nuclear effects, the measured cross sections exhibit significantly greater suppression at lower $x$. Additionally, the ratio of incoherent to coherent photoproduction is found to be constant across the probed $W_{γ\mathrm{N}}$ and $x$ range, disfavoring the establishment of the black disk limit. This study provides critical insights into the $x$-dependent evolution of fluctuating gluonic structures within nuclei and calls for further advancements in theoretical models incorporating nuclear shadowing and gluon saturation.

8 data tables

The differential incoherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of $|y|$, in different neutron multiplicity classes.

The differential incoherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of $y$, in different neutron multiplicity classes.

The incoherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of photon-nuclear center-of-mass energy per nucleon $W_{\gamma \mathrm{N}}^{\mathrm{Pb}}$ or Bjorken $x$, measured in PbPb ultra-peripheral collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV. The $W_{\gamma \mathrm{N}}^{\mathrm{Pb}}$ values used correspond to the center of each rapidity range. The theoretical uncertainties is due to the uncertainties in the photon flux.

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Measurement of the impact-parameter dependent azimuthal anisotropy in coherent $\rho^0$ photoproduction in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The ALICE collaboration Acharya, Shreyasi ; Adamova, Dagmar ; Agarwal, Apar ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 858 (2024) 139017, 2024.
Inspire Record 2789555 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.154177

This Letter presents the first measurement of the impact-parameter dependent angular anisotropy in the decay of coherently photoproduced $\rho^0$ mesons. The $\rho^0$ mesons are reconstructed through their decay into pion pairs. The measured anisotropy corresponds to the amplitude of the $\cos(2\phi)$ modulation, where $\phi$ is the angle between the two vectors formed by the sum and the difference of the transverse momenta of the pions, respectively. The measurement was performed by the ALICE Collaboration at the LHC using data from ultraperipheral Pb$-$Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$ TeV per nucleon pair. Different impact-parameter regions are selected by classifying the events in nuclear-breakup classes. The amplitude of the $\cos(2\phi)$ modulation is found to increase by about one order of magnitude from large to small impact parameters. Theoretical calculations describe the measured $\cos(2\phi)$ anisotropy and its impact-parameter dependence as the result of a quantum interference effect at the femtometer scale, arising from the ambiguity regarding which of the nuclei is the photon source in the interaction.

1 data table

Amplitudes of the $\cos(2\phi)$ modulation of the $ρ^0$ yield in ultra-peripheral Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV in all neutron classes.


Evaluation of the E2/M1 ratio in the $N\to \Delta(1232)$ transition from the $ \vec{\gamma} \vec{p} \to p \pi^0 $ reaction

The A2 Collaboration at MAMI collaboration Mornacchi, E. ; Pedroni, P. ; Afzal, F. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.C 109 (2024) 055201, 2024.
Inspire Record 2736510 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.154709

A new data set for the helicity-dependent differential cross section of the single-meson photoproduction reaction $\gamma p \to p \pi^{0}$ was obtained for the photon energy interval 150-400 MeV. The experiment was performed at the A2 tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI using a circularly polarized photon beam and a longitudinally polarized proton target. The reaction products were detected with the large acceptance Crystal Ball/TAPS calorimeter covering 97% of the full solid angle. These new results, obtained with a fine energy and polar angle binning, greatly increase both the existing quantity and quality of the data available for this observable. A moment analysis, based on a finite expansion in Legendre polynomials, was applied to these data by using a bootstrap-based fitting method to correctly account for their systematic uncertainties. From the resulting decomposition of the differential cross sections, the $E2/M1$ ratio for the $N\to \Delta(1232)$ transition was determined to be $[-2.38 \pm 0.16{\hbox{ (stat.+sys.)}} \pm 0.10 {\hbox{ (model)}}] \%$. Combining this value with previous results also allowed us to evaluate the most precise available estimate of the $E2/M1$ ratio to be used for all further reference and model comparisons.

19 data tables

Total heliicity-dependent cross section $\Delta \sigma$ as a function of photon beam energy.

Exitation as function as function of photon beam energyat cms $\Theta_\pi^0= 5 deg$

Exitation as function as function of photon beam energy at cms $\Theta_\pi^0= 15 deg$

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First measurement of the $|t|$-dependence of incoherent J/$\psi$ photonuclear production

The ALICE collaboration Acharya, Shreyasi ; Adamova, Dagmar ; Adler, Alexander ; et al.
Phys.Rev.Lett. 132 (2024) 162302, 2024.
Inspire Record 2658375 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.146880

The first measurement of the cross section for incoherent photonuclear production of J/$\psi$ vector mesons as a function of the Mandelstam $|t|$ variable is presented. The measurement was carried out with the ALICE detector at midrapidity, $|y|<0.8$, using ultra-peripheral collisions of Pb nuclei at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV. This rapidity interval corresponds to a Bjorken-$x$ range $(0.3-1.4)\times 10^{-3}$. Cross sections are given in five $|t|$ intervals in the range $0.04<|t|<1$ GeV$^2$ and compared to the predictions by different models. Models that ignore quantum fluctuations of the gluon density in the colliding hadron predict a $|t|$-dependence of the cross section much steeper than in data. The inclusion of such fluctuations in the same models provides a better description of the data.

1 data table

|t|-dependence of incoherent J/Psi photonuclear production cross section in Pb-Pb UPCs measured at midrapidity, |y| < 0.8


Exclusive and dissociative J/$\psi$ photoproduction, and exclusive dimuon production, in p$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 8.16$ TeV

The ALICE collaboration Acharya, Shreyasi ; Adamova, Dagmar ; Adler, Alexander ; et al.
Phys.Rev.D 108 (2023) 112004, 2023.
Inspire Record 2654315 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.144875

The ALICE Collaboration reports three measurements in ultra-peripheral proton$-$lead collisions at forward rapidity. The exclusive two-photon process \ggmm and the exclusive photoproduction of J/$\psi$ are studied. J/$\psi$ photoproduction with proton dissociation is measured for the first time at a hadron collider. The cross section for the two-photon process of dimuons in the invariant mass range from 1 to 2.5 GeV/$c^2$ agrees with leading order quantum electrodynamics calculations. The exclusive and dissociative cross sections for J/$\psi$ photoproductions are measured for photon$-$proton centre-of-mass energies from 27 to 57 GeV. They are in good agreement with HERA results.

6 data tables

Differential cross sections DSIGMA/DM for exclusive GAMMA* GAMMA* to MU+ MU- production in p–Pb UPCs for each mass and rapidity interval

Exclusive J/psi photoproduction cross section in p-Pb UPC.

Dissociative J/psi photoproduction cross section in p-Pb UPC.

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Version 2
Probing small Bjorken-$x$ nuclear gluonic structure via coherent J/$\psi$ photoproduction in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The CMS collaboration Tumasyan, Armen ; Adam, Wolfgang ; Andrejkovic, Janik Walter ; et al.
Phys.Rev.Lett. 131 (2023) 262301, 2023.
Inspire Record 2648536 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.138867

Quasireal photons exchanged in relativistic heavy ion interactions are powerful probes of the gluonic structure of nuclei. The coherent J/$\psi$ photoproduction cross section in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions is measured as a function of photon-nucleus center-of-mass energies per nucleon (W$^\text{Pb}_{\gamma\text{N}}$), over a wide range of 40 $\lt$ W$^\text{Pb}_{\gamma\text{N}}$$\lt$ 400 GeV. Results are obtained using data at the nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.52 nb$^{-1}$. The cross section is observed to rise rapidly at low W$^\text{Pb}_{\gamma\text{N}}$, and plateau above W$^\text{Pb}_{\gamma\text{N}}$$\approx$ 40 GeV, up to 400 GeV, a new regime of small Bjorken-$x$ ($\approx$ 6 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$) gluons being probed in a heavy nucleus. The observed energy dependence is not predicted by current quantum chromodynamic models.

16 data tables

The differential coherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of rapidity, in different neutron multiplicity classes: 0n0n, 0nXn, XnXn , and AnAn.

The differential coherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of rapidity, in different neutron multiplicity classes: 0n0n, 0nXn, XnXn , and AnAn.

The total coherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of photon-nuclear center-of-mass energy per nucleon $W_{\gamma \mathrm{N}}^{\mathrm{Pb}}$, measured in PbPb ultra-peripheral collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV. The $W_{\gamma \mathrm{N}}^{\mathrm{Pb}}$ values used correspond to the center of each rapidity range. The theoretical uncertainties is due to the uncertainties in the photon flux.

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Measurement of the charge asymmetry in top-quark pair production in association with a photon with the ATLAS experiment

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; Abbott, Dale ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 843 (2023) 137848, 2023.
Inspire Record 2616326 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.140834

A measurement of the charge asymmetry in top-quark pair ($t\bar{t}$) production in association with a photon is presented. The measurement is performed in the single-lepton $t\bar{t}$ decay channel using proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN at a centre-of-mass-energy of 13 TeV during the years 2015-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The charge asymmetry is obtained from the distribution of the difference of the absolute rapidities of the top quark and antiquark using a profile likelihood unfolding approach. It is measured to be $A_\text{C}=-0.003 \pm 0.029$ in agreement with the Standard Model expectation.

4 data tables

The measured asymmetry of top quark pairs in $t\bar{t}\gamma$ production in a fiducial region at particle level.

Normalised differential cross section as a function of $|y(t)| - |y(\bar{t})|$. The observed data is compared with the SM expectation using aMC@NLO+Pythia8 at NLO QCD precision. The value of the charge asymmetry corresponds to the difference between the two bins. Underflow and overflow events are included in corresponding bins of the distribution.

Definition of the fiducial phase space at particle level. where, $\gamma$: photon $\ell$: lepton j: jet

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Polarization observables in double neutral pion photoproduction

The TAPS & CBELSA collaborations Seifen, T. ; Hartmann, J. ; Afzal, F. ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.A 61 (2025) 173, 2025.
Inspire Record 2106042 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.137817

Measurements of target asymmetries and double-polarization observables for the reaction $γp\to pπ^0π^0$ are reported. The data were taken with the CBELSA/TAPS experiment at the ELSA facility (Bonn University) using the Bonn frozen-spin butanol (C$_4$H$_9$OH) target, which provided transversely polarized protons. Linearly polarized photons were produced via bremsstrahlung off a diamond crystal. The data cover the photon energy range from $E_γ$=650 MeV to $E_γ$=2600 MeV and nearly the complete angular range. The results have been included in the BnGa partial wave analysis. Experimental results and the fit agree very well. Observed systematic differences in the branching ratios for decays of $N^*$ and $Δ^*$ resonances are attributed to the internal structure of these excited nucleon states. Resonances which can be assigned to SU(6)$\times$O(3) two-oscillator configurations show larger branching ratios to intermediate states with non-zero intrinsic orbital angular momenta than resonances assigned to one-oscillator configurations.

24 data tables

Target asymmetry for $\pi^0\pi^0$ as a function of the polar angle for bins of the incident photon energy in the range of $E_\gamma$ = 650-2600 MeV.

Target asymmetry for $\pi^0\pi^0$ as a function of the $\pi^0\pi^0$ invariant mass for bins of the incident photon energy in the range of $E_\gamma$ = 650-2600 MeV.

Target asymmetry for $\pi^0\pi^0$ as a function of the $\phi^*$ angle for bins of the incident photon energy in the range of $E_\gamma$ = 650-2600 MeV.

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Measurement of the helicity dependence for single $\pi^{0}$ photoproduction from the deuteron

The A2 collaboration Cividini, F. ; Dieterle, M. ; Abt, S. ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.A 58 (2022) 113, 2022.
Inspire Record 2040546 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.132014

The helicity-dependent single $\pi^{0}$ photoproduction cross section on the deuteron and the angular dependence of the double polarisation observable $E$ for the quasi-free single $\pi^0$ production off the proton and the neutron have been measured for the first time from the threshold region up to the photon energy 1.4 GeV. The experiment was performed at the tagged photon facility of the MAMI accelerator and used a circularly polarised photon beam and longitudinally polarised deuteron target. The reaction products were detected using the large acceptance Crystal Ball/TAPS calorimeter, which covered 97% of the full solid angle. Comparing the cross section from the deuteron with the sum of free nucleon cross sections provides a quantitative estimate of the effects of the nuclear medium on pion production. In contrast, comparison of $E$ helicity asymmetry data from quasi-free protons off deuterium with data from a free proton target indicates that nuclear effects do not significantly affect this observable. As a consequence, it is deduced that the helicity asymmetry $E$ on a free neutron can be reliably extracted from measurements on a deuteron in quasi-free kinematics.

158 data tables

Inclusive polarized total cross section as a function of photon beam energy.

Helicity-dependent differential cross section on deuteron at Egamma= 161. MeV

Helicity-dependent differential cross section on deuteron at Egamma= 178. MeV

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