A first measurement is reported of the longitudinal proton structure function F_L(x,Q^2) at the ep collider HERA. It is based on inclusive deep inelastic e^+p scattering cross section measurements with a positron beam energy of 27.5 GeV and proton beam energies of 920, 575 and 460 GeV. Employing the energy dependence of the cross section, F_L is measured in a range of squared four-momentum transfers 12 < Q^2 < 90 GeV^2 and low Bjorken x 0.00024 < x < 0.0036. The F_L values agree with higher order QCD calculations based on parton densities obtained using cross section data previously measured at HERA.
The measured longitudinal proton structure function FL at Q**2 = 12 GeV**2 extracted from the combined 920,575 and 450 GeV proton energy data.
The measured longitudinal proton structure function FL at Q**2 = 15 GeV**2 extracted from the combined 920,575 and 450 GeV proton energy data.
The measured longitudinal proton structure function FL at Q**2 = 20 GeV**2 extracted from the combined 920,575 and 450 GeV proton energy data.
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.
Events with a (2+1) jet topology in deep-inelastic scattering at HERA are studied in the kinematic range 200 < Q^2< 10,000 GeV^2. The rate of (2+1) jet events has been determined with the modified JADE jet algorithm as a function of the jet resolution parameter and is compared with the predictions of Monte Carlo models. In addition, the event rate is corrected for both hadronization and detector effects and is compared with next-to-leading order QCD calculations. A value of the strong coupling constant of alpha_s(M_Z^2)= 0.118+- 0.002 (stat.)^(+0.007)_(-0.008) (syst.)^(+0.007)_(-0.006) (theory) is extracted. The systematic error includes uncertainties in the calorimeter energy calibration, in the description of the data by current Monte Carlo models, and in the knowledge of the parton densities. The theoretical error is dominated by the renormalization scale ambiguity.
Y2 distribution corrected for detector effects.
Y2 distribution corrected for both detector and hadronization effects.
Y2 distribution using the E, E0 and P variants of the JADE alogrithm, corrected for both detector and hadronization effects. Statistical errors only.
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