Beam-helicity Asymmetries Research Articles

Leading-order QED radiative corrections to timelike Compton scattering on the proton

We evaluate the leading-order QED radiative corrections to the timelike Compton scattering (TCS) process $\gamma p \to l^- l^+ p$. We study these corrections in two energy regimes using different models for the TCS amplitude. In the low-energy regime we calculate the contribution due to the proton and its lowest-energy excitation, the $\Delta(1232)$ resonance. In the high-energy near-forward kinematical regime we calculate the TCS amplitude in a handbag approach in terms of Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs). On the level of cross sections we find the QED radiative corrections to be in the $5 -10\%$ range in the low-energy regime and around $20\%$ in the high-energy regime. We show that in both the di-lepton forward-backward asymmetry as well as in the photon beam helicity asymmetry these corrections nearly cancel out, making them gold-plated observables to extract the real and imaginary parts of the TCS amplitude. We demonstrate in particular the sensitivity of these asymmetries on GPD parameterizations for a recent CLAS12@JLab TCS experiment.

Measurement of the beam-helicity asymmetry in photoproduction of π0η pairs on carbon, aluminum, and lead

The beam-helicity asymmetry was measured, for the first time, in photoproduction of π0η pairs on carbon, aluminum, and lead, with the A2 experimental setup at MAMI. The results are compared to an earlier measurement on a free proton and to the corresponding theoretical calculations. The Mainz model is used to predict the beam-helicity asymmetry for the nuclear targets. The present results indicate that the photoproduction mechanism for π0η pairs on nuclei is similar to photoproduction on a free nucleon. This process is dominated by the D33 partial wave with the ηΔ(1232) intermediate state.

Beam-helicity asymmetries for single-hadron production in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from unpolarized hydrogen and deuterium targets

A measurement of beam-helicity asymmetries for single-hadron production in deep-inelastic scattering is presented. Data from the scattering of 27.6 GeV electrons and positrons off gaseous hydrogen and deuterium targets were collected by the HERMES experiment. The asymmetries are presented separately as a function of the Bjorken scaling variable, the hadron transverse momentum, and the fractional energy for charged pions and kaons as well as for protons and anti-protons. These asymmetries are also presented as a function of the three aforementioned kinematic variables simultaneously.

Beam helicity asymmetries in $K^{+} \Lambda$ K + Λ electroproduction off the proton at low Q2

Beam helicity asymmetries in the $\overrightarrow{e}p \rightarrow e' K^{+} \Lambda $ reaction have been measured at unprecedentedly low four-momentum transfers $\langle Q^{2} \rangle = 0.05$ (GeV/c)2. At the Mainz Microtron (MAMI), the experiment was performed with a longitudinally polarized beam and an out-of-plane detection of the scattered electron. This experiment probed the associated helicity-dependent structure function ${\rm d} \sigma_{LT'}/{\rm d} \Omega_K^{c.m.}$ , which is sensitive to the details of resonances of the proton. The results were compared to models for kaon electroproduction using effective Lagrangians. The MAMI data is not supporting the Kaon-Maid isobar model, which uses strong longitudinal couplings of the virtual photon to nucleon resonances and predicts a strong peaking of the structure function at forward angles and low $Q^{2}$ . The data is also in disagreement with a Regge-plus-resonance model that predicts the incorrect sign of the structure function. The combination of the MAMI results wih data taken at higher four-momentum transfers measured at Jefferson Lab indicates a smooth transition in $Q^{2}$ without significant changes of the interference pattern in the electroproduction process.

Studies of Final-State Interactions via Helicity Asymmetries in Exclusive Pseudoscalar Meson Photoproduction off Deuteron

Exclusive meson photoproduction off deuteron is a great tool to study final-state interactions (FSI) between the hadrons produced in the scattering of the incident photon off one of the target nucleons and the spectator nucleon. FSI in the reaction \(\gamma d\rightarrow K^+\varLambda n\) allow to access the dynamics of \(\varLambda n\) elastic scattering and provide a method of studying the hyperon-nucleon (YN) interaction. Also, as deuteron is often used as a neutron target, FSI contribute to the reaction dynamics in addition to the quasi-free mechanism and their understanding is critical for the estimate of observables off the free neutron. Here we show preliminary results for beam-helicity asymmetries for the reactions \(\mathbf {\gamma } d\rightarrow K^+\varLambda n\) and \(\mathbf {\gamma } d\rightarrow p\pi ^+\pi ^- n\) and their evolution over the spectator-nucleon momentum. The data were obtained with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). We show how to kinematically select an event sample dominated by a specific FSI mechanism. We also discuss a method to extract polarization observables for photoproduction off the free nucleon using the helicity asymmetries for reactions off the deuteron.

Photoproduction of $\eta$ $\pi$ pairs off nucleons and deuterons

Quasi-free photoproduction of $\pi\eta$-pairs has been investigated from threshold up to incident photon energies of 1.4 GeV, respectively up to photon-nucleon invariant masses up to 1.9 GeV. Total cross sections, angular distributions, invariant-mass distributions of the $\pi\eta$ and meson-nucleon pairs, and beam-helicity asymmetries have been measured for the reactions $\gamma p\rightarrow p\pi^0\eta$, $\gamma n\rightarrow n\pi^0\eta$, $\gamma p\rightarrow n\pi^+\eta$, and $\gamma n\rightarrow p\pi^-\eta$ from nucleons bound inside the deuteron. For the $\gamma p$ initial state data for free protons have also been analyzed. Finally, the total cross sections for quasi-free production of $\pi^0\eta$ pairs from nucleons bound in $^3$He nuclei have been investigated in view of final state interaction (FSI) effects. The experiments were performed at the tagged photon beam facility of the Mainz MAMI accelerator using an almost $4\pi$ covering electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. The shapes of all differential cross section data and the asymmetries are very similar for protons and neutrons and agree with the conjecture that the reactions are dominated by the sequential $\Delta^{\star}3/2^-\rightarrow\eta\Delta(1232)\rightarrow\pi\eta N$ decay chain, mainly with $\Delta(1700)3/2^-$ and $\Delta(1940)3/2^-$. The ratios of the magnitude of the total cross sections also agree with this assumption. However, the absolute magnitudes of the cross sections are reduced by FSI effects with respect to free proton data.

DVCS at HERMES

Deeply virtual Compton scattering process was studied widely at the HERMES experiment through measurements of various cross-section asymmetries. These measurements exploited the rich data collected at HERMES on scattering a longitudinally polarized lepton (electron/positron) beam off unpolarized, longitudinally and transversely polarized hydrogen targets, unpolarized and longitudinally polarized deuterium targets, as well as unpolarized nuclear targets. The operation of a recoil detector during the last two years of HERMES running enabled for the full kinematic reconstruction of the events of exclusively produced real photons and a clean (with a background well below the 1[Formula: see text]) measurement of the beam-helicity asymmetry. Also, first measurement of the beam-helicity asymmetry related to the associated deeply virtual Compton scattering process, where the proton is excited to a [Formula: see text]-resonance state, was possible using the recoil detector information.

Measurement of the beam-helicity asymmetry I⊙ in the photoproduction of $ \pi^{0}$ $ \pi^{\pm}$ pairs off protons and off neutrons

Beam-helicity asymmetries have been measured at the MAMI accelerator in Mainz for the photoproduction of mixed-charge pion pairs in the reactions $\boldsymbol{\gamma}p\rightarrow n\pi^0\pi^+$ off free protons and $\boldsymbol{\gamma}d\rightarrow (p)p\pi^0\pi^-$ and $\boldsymbol{\gamma}d\rightarrow (n)n\pi^0\pi^+$ off quasi-free nucleons bound in the deuteron for incident photon energies up to 1.4 GeV. Circularly polarized photons were produced from bremsstrahlung of longitudinally polarized electrons and tagged with the Glasgow-Mainz magnetic spectrometer. The charged pions, recoil protons, recoil neutrons, and decay photons from $\pi^0$ mesons were detected in the 4$\pi$ electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. Using a complete kinematic reconstruction of the final state, excellent agreement was found between the results for free and quasi-free protons, suggesting that the quasi-free neutron results are also a close approximation of the free-neutron asymmetries. A comparison of the results to the predictions of the Two-Pion-MAID reaction model shows that the reaction mechanisms are still not well understood, in particular at low incident photon energies in the second nucleon-resonance region.

Beam-helicity asymmetry in associated electroproduction of real photons ep → eγπN in the Δ-resonance region

The beam-helicity asymmetry in associated electroproduction of real photons, $ep\to e\gamma \pi N$, in the $\Delta$(1232)-resonance region is measured using the longitudinally polarized HERA positron beam and an unpolarized hydrogen target. Azimuthal Fourier amplitudes of this asymmetry are extracted separately for two channels, $ep\to e\gamma \pi^0 p$ and $ep\to e\gamma \pi^+ n$, from a data set collected with a recoil detector. All asymmetry amplitudes are found to be consistent with zero.

QUASIFREE PHOTOPRODUCTION OF PION-PAIRS OF PROTONS AND NEUTRONS

Beam-helicity asymmetries and mass-differential cross sections have been measured at the MAMI accelerator in Mainz for the photoproduction of neutral and mixed-charge pion pairs in the reactions γp → nπ0π+ and γp → pπ0π0 off free protons and γd → (p)pπ0π-, γd → (n)pπ0π0 and γd → (n)nπ0π+, γd → (p)nπ0π0 off quasi-free nucleons bound in the deuteron for incident photon energies up to 1.4 GeV. Circularly polarized photons were produced in bremsstrahlung processes of longitudinally polarized electrons and tagged with the Glasgow-Mainz magnetic spectrometer. The decay products (photons, protons neutrons and charged pions) were detected in the 4π electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. Using a full kinematic reconstruction of the final state, excellent agreement was found between the results for free and quasi-free protons, indicate that the quasi-free neutron results are also a close approximation of the free-neutron results. Comparison of the results to predictions of model calculations portend that especially the reaction mechanisms in the production of the mixed-charge final states are still not well understood, in particular at low incident photon energies in the second nucleon resonance region.

Overview of recent results from the HERMES experiment

HERMES has taken a wealth of deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) data using the 27.6 GeV polarized lepton beam at HERA and various pure gas targets, both unpolarized and polarized, which opened the door to several unique results. Among them are the first evidences for the naive-T-odd Sivers and Collins effects but also the recent first measurements of azimuthal modulations in the unpolarized semi-inclusive DIS cross section for charged kaons and pions and of beam-helicity asymmetries in exclusive leptoproduction of real photons using recoil-proton detection. An overview of HERMES results is given with emphasis on the exploration of the three-dimensional structure of the nucleon.

Measurement of the Neutron Electric to Magnetic Form Factor Ratio atQ2=1.58 GeV2Using the ReactionHe→3(e→,e′n)pp

A measurement of beam helicity asymmetries in the reaction 3He[over →](e[over →],e'n)pp is performed at the Mainz Microtron in quasielastic kinematics to determine the electric to magnetic form factor ratio of the neutron GEn/GMn at a four-momentum transfer Q2=1.58 GeV2. Longitudinally polarized electrons are scattered on a highly polarized 3He gas target. The scattered electrons are detected with a high-resolution magnetic spectrometer, and the ejected neutrons are detected with a dedicated neutron detector composed of scintillator bars. To reduce systematic errors, data are taken for four different target polarization orientations allowing the determination of GEn/GMn from a double ratio. We find μnGEn/GMn=0.250±0.058(stat)±0.017(syst).

Measurement of the beam-helicity asymmetry [formula omitted] in the photoproduction of [formula omitted]-pairs off the proton and off the neutron

Beam-helicity asymmetries have been measured at the MAMI accelerator in Mainz for the photoproduction of neutral pion pairs in the reactions γ→p→pπ0π0 and γ→d→(n)pπ0π0, γ→d→(p)nπ0π0 off free protons and off quasi-free nucleons bound in the deuteron for incident photon energies up to 1.4 GeV. Circularly polarized photons were produced from bremsstrahlung of longitudinally polarized electrons and tagged with the Glasgow magnetic spectrometer. Decay photons from the π0 mesons, recoil protons, and recoil neutrons were detected in the 4π covering electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. After kinematic reconstruction of the final state, excellent agreement was found between the results for free and quasi-free protons. This demonstrates that the free-nucleon behavior of such observables can be extracted from measurements with quasi-free nucleons, which is the only possibility for the neutron. Contrary to expectations, the measured asymmetries are very similar for reactions off protons and neutrons. The results are compared to the predictions from the Two-Pion MAID reaction model and (for the proton) also to the Bonn–Gatchina coupled channel analysis.

Overview of the electromagnetic production of strange mesons at MAMI

The Mainz Microtron MAMI provides a continuous-wave unpolarized or spin-polarized electron beam with energies up to 1.6 GeV and high degrees of polarization. Electro-production of strange mesons is performed in the multi-spectrometer facility with the Kaos spectrometer for kaon detection and a high-resolution spectrometer for electron detection in plane or out of plane. Differential cross section measurements of exclusive p ( e , e ′ K + ) Λ , Σ 0 reactions at low four-momentum transfers in the nucleonʼs third resonance region have been done, followed by a measurement of the beam helicity asymmetry for p ( e → , e ′ K + ) Λ . These studies are important for the understanding of the effective coupling of photons to the hadrons and their resonances and electromagnetic form factors entering different effective Lagrangian models for photo- and electro-production of strangeness. The polarized structure function, extracted from the beam helicity asymmetry, shows an especially high sensitivity to model parameters.

Beam-helicity asymmetry arising from deeply virtual Compton scattering measured with kinematically complete event reconstruction

AbstractThe beam-helicity asymmetry in exclusive electroproduction of real photons by the longitudinally polarized Hera positron beam scattering off an unpolarized hydrogen target is measured at Hermes. The asymmetry arises from deeply virtual Compton scattering and its interference with the Bethe-Heitler process. Azimuthal amplitudes of the beam-helicity asymmetry are extracted from a data sample consisting ofep→epγevents with detection of all particles in the final state including the recoiling proton. The installation of a recoil detector, while reducing the acceptance of the experiment, allows the elimination of background fromep→eN πγevents, which was estimated to contribute an average of about 12% to the signal in previous Hermes publications. The removal of this background from the present data sample is shown to increase the magnitude of the leading asymmetry amplitude by 0.054 ± 0.016 to −0.328 ± 0.027 (stat.) ± 0.045 (syst.).

Photoproduction of π0π0 - and π0π+ -pairs off the proton from threshold to the second resonance region

Precise total cross-sections and invariant-mass distributions have been measured for photoproduction of pion pairs off the proton producing $p\pi^0\pi^0$ and $n\pi^+\pi^0$ final states from the threshold region up to 800 MeV incident photon energy. Additionally, beam helicity asymmetries have been measured in the second resonance region (550 MeV - 820 MeV). The experiment was performed at the tagged photon beam of the Mainz MAMI accelerator with the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors combined to give an almost 4$\pi$ solid-angle electromagnetic calorimeter. The results are much more precise than any previous measurements and confirm the chiral perturbation theory predictions for the threshold behavior of these reactions. In the second resonance region, the invariant-mass distributions of meson-meson and meson-nucleon pairs are in reasonable agreement with model predictions, but none of the models reproduce the asymmetries for the mixed-charge channel.

Beam-helicity asymmetryI⊙in the photoproduction ofπ0–pairs off the deuteron

Beam-helicity asymmetries have been measured at the MAMI accelerator in Mainz for the photoproduction of neutral pion pairs in the reactions γp → pπ0π0 and γd → (n)pπ0π0, γd → (p)nπ0π0 off free protons and off quasi-free nucleons bound in the deuteron for incident photon energies up to 1.4 GeV. A circularly polarized photon beam was produced off a longitudinally polarized electron beam using bremsstrahlung processes. The photons were tagged with the Glasgow magnetic spectrometer. Decay photons from the π0 mesons, recoil protons, and recoil neutrons were detected in the 4π covering detector system composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS electromagnetic calorimeters. The free and quasi-free results are in almost perfect agreement. The measured asymmetries for reactions off protons and neutrons are very similar, in contrary to expectations. The results are compared to the predictions from the Two-Pion-MAID reaction model.

Measurement of the neutron electric form factor in the reaction at MAMI

A measurement of the ratio GnE/GnM at a four momentum transfer Q2 = 1.5 (GeV/c)2 has been carried out at the Mainz Microtron in 2008 in order to extract the electric Sachs form factor of the neutron (GnE) with the magnetic form factor (GnM) as input. MAMI-C provided a 1.5 GeV polarized electron beam, a polarized 3He gas target served as an effective polarized neutron target to allow the study of the process The scattered electrons were detected with a magnetic spectrometer of the A1-collaboration. To detect the recoil neutrons in coincidence with the electrons, a nucleon detector was installed. It consisted of a plastic scintillator array inside a heavy lead shield. Exploiting beam helicity asymmetries for different target polarization orientations, GnE/GnM can be extracted.

Measurement of azimuthal asymmetries associated with deeply virtual Compton scattering on a longitudinally polarized deuterium target

Azimuthal asymmetries in exclusive electroproduction of a real photon from a longitudinally polarized deuterium target are measured with respect to target polarization alone and with respect to target polarization combined with beam helicity and/or beam charge. The asymmetries appear in the distribution of the real photons in the azimuthal angle ϕ around the virtual photon direction, relative to the lepton scattering plane. The asymmetries arise from the deeply virtual Compton scattering process and its interference with the Bethe–Heitler process. The results for the beam-charge and beam-helicity asymmetries from a tensor polarized deuterium target with vanishing vector polarization are shown to be compatible with those from an unpolarized deuterium target, which is expected for incoherent scattering dominant at larger momentum transfer. Furthermore, the results for the single target-spin asymmetry and for the double-spin asymmetry are found to be compatible with the corresponding asymmetries previously measured on a hydrogen target. For coherent scattering on the deuteron at small momentum transfer to the target, these findings imply that the tensor contribution to the cross section is small. Furthermore, the tensor asymmetry is found to be compatible with zero.

Nuclear-mass dependence of azimuthal beam-helicity and beam-charge asymmetries in deeply virtual Compton scattering

The nuclear–mass dependence of azimuthal cross-section asymmetries with respect to charge and longitudinal polarization of the lepton beam is studied for hard exclusive electroproduction of real photons. The observed beam-charge and beam-helicity asymmetries are attributed to the interference between the Bethe-Heitler and the deeply virtual Compton scattering processes. For various nuclei, the asymmetries are extracted for both coherent and incoherent-enriched regions, which involve different (combinations of) generalized parton distributions. For both regions, the asymmetries are compared to those for a free proton, and no nuclear-mass dependence is found.2 MoreReceived 3 November 2009DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.81.035202©2010 American Physical Society