Results of inclusive measurements of inelastic electron and positron scattering from unpolarized protons and deuterons at the HERMES experiment are presented. The structure functions $F_2^p$ and $F_2^d$ are determined using a parameterization of existing data for the longitudinal-to-transverse virtual-photon absorption cross-section ratio. The HERMES results provide data in the ranges $0.006\leq x\leq 0.9$ and 0.1 GeV$^2\leq Q^2\leq$ 20 GeV$^2$, covering the transition region between the perturbative and the non-perturbative regimes of QCD in a so-far largely unexplored kinematic region. They are in agreement with existing world data in the region of overlap. The measured cross sections are used, in combination with data from other experiments, to perform fits to the photon-nucleon cross section using the functional form of the ALLM model. The deuteron-to-proton cross-section ratio is also determined.
Results on the differential Born cross section $\frac{d^2\sigma^p}{dx\,dQ^2}$ and $F_2^p$. The statistical uncertainty $\delta_{stat.}$ and the systematic uncertainties $\delta_{PID}$ (particle identification), $\delta_{model}$ (model dependence outside the acceptance), $\delta_{mis.}$ (misalignment), and $\delta_{rad.}$ (Bethe-Heitler efficiencies) are given in percent. Corresponding $x$ bin numbers and $Q^2$ bin numbers and the average values $\langle x \rangle$ and $\langle {Q^2} \rangle$ are listed in the first four columns. The overall normalization uncertainty is 7.6 %. The structure function $F_2^p$ is derived using the parameterization $R=R_{1998}$.
Results on the differential Born cross section $\frac{d^2\sigma^d}{dx\,dQ^2}$ and $F_2^d$. The statistical uncertainty $\delta_{stat.}$ and the systematic uncertainties $\delta_{PID}$ (particle identification), $\delta_{model}$ (model dependence outside the acceptance), $\delta_{mis.}$ (misalignment), and $\delta_{rad.}$ (Bethe-Heitler efficiencies), are given in percent. Corresponding $x$ bin numbers and $Q^2$ bin numbers and the average values $\langle x \rangle$ and $\langle{Q^2}\rangle$ are listed in the first four columns. The overall normalization uncertainty is 7.5 %. The structure function $F_2^d$ is derived using the parameterization $R=R_{1998}$.
Results on the inelastic Born cross-section ratio ${\sigma^d}/{\sigma^p}$. The statistical uncertainty $\delta_{stat.}$, the systematic uncertainty $\delta_{rad.}$ due to radiative corrections and $\delta_{model}$ due to the model dependence outside the acceptance are given in percent. The average values of $x$ and $Q^2$ are listed in the first two columns. The overall normalization uncertainty is 1.4$\%$.
The virtual photon absorption cross section differences [sigma_1/2-sigma_3/2] for the proton and neutron have been determined from measurements of polarised cross section asymmetries in deep inelastic scattering of 27.5 GeV longitudinally polarised positrons from polarised 1H and 3He internal gas targets. The data were collected in the region above the nucleon resonances in the kinematic range nu < 23.5 GeV and 0.8 GeV**2 < Q**2 < 12 GeV**2. For the proton the contribution to the generalised Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn integral was found to be substantial and must be included for an accurate determination of the full integral. Furthermore the data are consistent with a QCD next-to-leading order fit based on previous deep inelastic scattering data. Therefore higher twist effects do not appear significant.
Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule for proton as a function of Q2.
Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule for neutron as a function of Q2 (integral spans from Q2/2M to infinity instead of zero to infinity, see paper).
Cross section difference for the proton data. Statistical errors only.
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