Polarizing a stored proton beam by spin flip? – A high statistic reanalysis

Abstract

Prompted by recent, conflicting calculations, we have carried out a measurement of the spin flip cross section in low-energy electron-proton scattering. The experiment uses the cooling electron beam at COSY as an electron target. A reanalysis of the data leeds to a reduced statistical errors resulting in a factor of 4 reduced upper limit for the spin flip cross section. The measured cross sections are too small for making spin flip a viable tool in polarizing a stored beam.