We present the first measurement of the Q^2-dependence of the neutron spin structure function g_2^n at five kinematic points covering 0.57 (GeV/c)^2 <= Q^2 <= 1.34 (GeV/c)^2 at x~0.2. Though the naive quark-parton model predicts g_2=0, non-zero values for g_2 occur in more realistic models of the nucleon which include quark-gluon correlations, finite quark masses or orbital angular momentum. When scattering from a non-interacting quark, $g_2^n$ can be predicted using next-to-leading order fits to world data for g_1^n. Deviations from this prediction provide an opportunity to examine QCD dynamics in nucleon structure. Our results show a positive deviation from this prediction at lower Q^2, indicating that contributions such as quark-gluon interactions may be important. Precision data obtained for g_1^n are consistent with next-to-leading order fits to world data.
Measured values of G1N ang G2N.
Cross sections for inelastic scattering of electrons from hydrogen and deuterium were measured for incident energies from 4.5 to 18 GeV, at scattering angles of 18°, 26°, and 34°, and covering a range of squared four-momentum transfers up to 20 (GeVc)2. Neutron cross sections were extracted from the deuterium data using an impulse approximation. Comparisons with the proton measurements show significant differences between the neutron and proton cross sections.
Axis error includes +- 1/1 contribution (DUE TO ERRORS IN ABOVE CORRECTIONSFOR DEAD-TIME LOSSES, INEFFICIENCIES IN E- IDENTIFICATION).
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