Measurements of normalised cross sections for the production of photons and neutrons at very small angles with respect to the proton beam direction in deep-inelastic $ep$ scattering at HERA are presented as a function of the Feynman variable $x_F$ and of the centre-of-mass energy of the virtual photon-proton system $W$. The data are taken with the H1 detector in the years 2006 and 2007 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of $131 \mathrm{pb}^{-1}$. The measurement is restricted to photons and neutrons in the pseudorapidity range $\eta>7.9$ and covers the range of negative four momentum transfer squared at the positron vertex $6<Q^2<100$ GeV$^2$, of inelasticity $0.05<y<0.6$ and of $70<W<245 $GeV. To test the Feynman scaling hypothesis the $W$ dependence of the $x_F$ dependent cross sections is investigated. Predictions of deep-inelastic scattering models and of models for hadronic interactions of high energy cosmic rays are compared to the measured cross sections.
The fraction of DIS events with forward photons. For each measurement, the statistical, the uncorrelated systematic uncertainties and the bin-to-bin correlated systematic uncertainties due to the FNC absolute energy scale (EFNC), the measurement of the particle impact position in the FNC (XYFNC) and the model dependence of the data correction (model) are given.
The fraction of DIS events with forward neutrons. For each measurement, the statistical, the uncorrelated systematic uncertainties and the bin-to-bin correlated systematic uncertainties due to the FNC absolute energy scale (EFNC), the measurement of the particle impact position in the FNC (XYFNC) and the model dependence of the data correction (model) are given.
Normalised cross sections of forward photon production in DIS as a function of XF. For each measurement, the statistical, the uncorrelated systematic uncertainties and the bin-to-bin correlated systematic uncertainties due to the FNC absolute energy scale (EFNC), the measurement of the particle impact position in the FNC (XYFNC) and the model dependence of the data correction (model) are given.
The production of energetic neutrons in $ep$ collisions has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The neutron energy and $p_T^2$ distributions were measured with a forward neutron calorimeter and tracker in a $40 \pb^{-1}$ sample of inclusive deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data and a $6 \pb^{-1}$ sample of photoproduction data. The neutron yield in photoproduction is suppressed relative to DIS for the lower neutron energies and the neutrons have a steeper $p_T^2$ distribution, consistent with the expectation from absorption models. The distributions are compared to HERA measurements of leading protons. The neutron energy and transverse-momentum distributions in DIS are compared to Monte Carlo simulations and to the predictions of particle exchange models. Models of pion exchange incorporating absorption and additional secondary meson exchanges give a good description of the data.
Ratio of leading neutron to inclusive cross sections integrated to the full PT range.
Normalized double differential cross sections for leading neutron production for the full DIS sample. Statistical errors only are given.
Normalized double differential cross sections for leading neutron production for the full DIS sample. Statistical errors only are given.
The production of neutrons carrying at least 20% of the proton beam energy ($\xl > 0.2$) in $e^+p$ collisions has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA for a wide range of $Q^2$, the photon virtuality, from photoproduction to deep inelastic scattering. The neutron-tagged cross section, $e p\to e' X n$, is measured relative to the inclusive cross section, $e p\to e' X$, thereby reducing the systematic uncertainties. For $\xl >$ 0.3, the rate of neutrons in photoproduction is about half of that measured in hadroproduction, which constitutes a clear breaking of factorisation. There is about a 20% rise in the neutron rate between photoproduction and deep inelastic scattering, which may be attributed to absorptive rescattering in the $\gamma p$ system. For $0.64 < \xl < 0.82$, the rate of neutrons is almost independent of the Bjorken scaling variable $x$ and $Q^2$. However, at lower and higher $\xl$ values, there is a clear but weak dependence on these variables, thus demonstrating the breaking of limiting fragmentation. The neutron-tagged structure function, ${{F}^{\rm\tiny LN(3)}_2}(x,Q^2,\xl)$, rises at low values of $x$ in a way similar to that of the inclusive \ff of the proton. The total $\gamma \pi$ cross section and the structure function of the pion, $F^{\pi}_2(x_\pi,Q^2)$ where $x_\pi = x/(1-\xl)$, have been determined using a one-pion-exchange model, up to uncertainties in the normalisation due to the poorly understood pion flux. At fixed $Q^2$, $F^{\pi}_2$ has approximately the same $x$ dependence as $F_2$ of the proton.
The XL bins, their acceptance and the acceptance uncertainty. The RH columnshows the contribution from the energy-scale uncertainty - this is completely c orrelated between the bins.
The slope of the PT**2 distribution from the 1995 DIS data. The uncertainties shown in this table were communicated to us by the authors, and supercede those given in the paper.
The normalized cross section (1/SIG)DSIG/dXL for leading neutrons with THETA < 0.8 mrad with statistical errors only.. For the lowest Q**2 data, the normalization uncertainty is +-5 PCT, and with XL > 0.52 there is a further normalization uncertainty of +-4 PCT.. For the intermediate Q**2 and DIS data the normalization uncertainty is +-4 PCT.
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