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.
We report results from a measurement of the inclusive diffraction dissociation of photons on hydrogen, γp→Xp, in the range 75<pγ<148 GeV/c, 0.02<‖t‖<0.1 (GeV/c)2, and MX2/s<0.1. Our data show an exponential t dependence and a dominant 1/MX2 behavior for MX2>4 GeV2. We test the finite-mass sum rule and, by comparing γp with π−p data obtained in the same apparatus, we test factorization.
EXTRACTED ELASTIC CROSS SECTIONS.
EXTRACTED ELASTIC CROSS SECTIONS.
RESULTS OF EXPONENTIAL FITS TO ELASTIC CROSS SECTIONS.