Target Fragmentation Region Research Articles

Studies of the nucleon structure in back-to-back SIDIS

The Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) proved to be a great tool in testing of the theory of strong interactions, which was a major focus in last decades. Semi-Inclusive DIS (SIDIS), with detection of an additional hadron allowed first studies of 3D structure of the nucleon, moving the main focus from testing the QCD to understanding of strong interactions and quark gluon dynamics to address a number of puzzles accumulated in recent years. Detection of two hadrons in SIDIS, which is even more complicated, provides access to details of quark gluon interactions inaccessible in single-hadron SIDIS, providing a new avenue to study the complex nucleon structure. Large acceptance of the Electron Ion Collider, allowing detection of two hadrons, produced back-to-back in the current and target fragmentation regions, combined with clear separation of two regions, would provide a unique possibility to study the nucleon structure in target fragmentation region, and correlations of target and current fragmentation regions.

Spin-Directed Momentum Transfers in SIDIS Baryon Production

The measurement of transverse single-spin asymmetries for baryon production in the target fragmentation region of semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering (SIDIS), can produce important insight into those nonperturbative aspects of QCD directly associated with confinement and with the dynamical breaking of chiral symmetry. We discuss here, interns of spin-directed momentum transfers, the powerful quantum field-theoretical constraints on the spin-orbit dynamics underlying these transverse spin observables. The spin-directed momentum shifts, originating either in the target nucleon or in the QCD jets produced in the deep inelastic scattering process, represent significant quantum entanglement effects connecting information from current fragmentation with observables in target fragmentation.

Some Important Features of Relativistic Charged Particles Produced in <sup>32</sup>S-Emulsion Interactions at 200 AGeV/c

An attempt has been made to study the multiplicity, angular and pseudo rapidity distributions of relativistic charged particles emerging from the interactions between sulphur and nuclear emulsion nuclei at 200 GeV/nucleon. The distributions from 200 AGeV are compared to the corresponding distributions from the predictions of Monte Carlo code FRITIOF samples. The pseudo rapidity distributions in different Nh-intervals translate to the target fragmentation region with increasing target mass. Finally, the scaling of multiplicity distributions of shower particles successfully describes the consequences of KNO scaling.

On transverse momentum spectra of negative pions in 12C+181Ta collisions at 4.2A GeV/c

We studied the dependences of the experimental transverse momentum spectra of the negative pions, produced in minimum bias 12 C +181 Ta collisions at a momentum of 4.2 GeV/c per nucleon, on the collision centrality and the pion rapidity range. To examine quantitatively, the change in the shape of the pt spectra of π- mesons with the change of collision centrality and the pion rapidity range, all the extracted pt spectra were fitted by the four different functions commonly used for describing the hadron spectra. The extracted values of the spectral temperatures T1 and T2 were consistently larger for the pt spectra of π- mesons coming from midrapidity range as compared to those of the negative pions generated in the target and projectile fragmentation regions. The spectral temperatures of the negative pions coming from projectile fragmentation region proved to be larger than the respective temperatures of the negative pions coming from target fragmentation region. The extracted spectral temperatures T1 and T2 of the pt spectra of π- mesons were compatible within the uncertainties for the peripheral, semicentral and central 12 C +181 Ta collision events, selected using the number of participant protons. It was observed that Hagedorn and Boltzmann functions are more appropriate for describing the transverse momentum spectra of the negative pions as contrasted to Simple Exponential and Gaussian functions.

Pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles produced in p–p collisions at center-of-mass energies from 23.6 GeV to 900 GeV

In p–p collisions there are two leading particles, one in the projectile and the other in the target fragmentation region. In this paper we show that, just like in nucleus–nucleus collisions, the revised Landau hydrodynamic model alone does not provide a good enough description of the measured pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles produced in p–p collisions. Only after the leading particles are taken into account can the experimental data be properly matched with the theoretical model in the entire available energy region from [Formula: see text] to 900 GeV.

On centrality and rapidity dependences of transverse momentum spectra of negative pions in 12C + 12C collisions at 4.2 GeV/c per nucleon

The dependences of the experimental transverse momentum spectra of the negative pions, produced in minimum bias 12 C + 12 C collisions at a momentum of 4.2A GeV/c, on the collision centrality and the pion rapidity range were studied. To analyze quantitatively the change in the pt spectra of π- mesons with the changes of collision centrality and pion rapidity range, the extracted pt spectra were fitted by Hagedorn, Boltzmann, Simple Exponential and Gaussian functions. The values of the extracted spectral temperatures T1 and T2 were consistently larger for the pt spectra of π- mesons coming from midrapidity range as compared to those of the negative pions generated in the target and projectile fragmentation regions. The spectral temperatures T1 and T2 extracted from fitting the pt spectra of π- mesons in range pt = 0.1–1.2 GeV/c practically coincided with each other in peripheral, semicentral and central 12 C + 12 C collision events, and thus did not show any collision centrality dependence. However, the values of T1 and T2 extracted from fitting in range pt = 0.1–0.7 GeV/c were consistently and noticeably larger in case of central collisions as compared to peripheral and semicentral 12 C + 12 C collisions. Hagedorn and Boltzmann functions provided significantly better fits of the transverse momentum spectra of the negative pions with the physically acceptable values of the extracted temperatures as compared to Gaussian and Simple Exponential functions.

Analysis of rapidity spectra of negative pions ind + 12C,12C + 12C, and12C + 181Ta collisions at 4.2 GeV/cper nucleon

The experimental rapidity distributions of negative pions were studied in minimum bias $d+{}^{12}$C, ${}^{12}$C + ${}^{12}$C, and ${}^{12}$C + ${}^{181}$Ta collisions at 4.2 GeV/$c$ per nucleon with 4\ensuremath{\pi} acceptance. The quantitative analysis of centrality dependence of the rapidity as well as transverse momentum versus rapidity spectra of the negative pions in the above collisions was performed by fitting the pion spectra with a Gaussian function. The widths of the rapidity spectra of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ mesons decreased in going from peripheral to central $d+{}^{12}$C, ${}^{12}$C + ${}^{12}$C, and ${}^{12}$C + ${}^{181}$Ta collisions. With an increase in collision centrality, the centers of the rapidity distributions of the negative pions shifted towards the target fragmentation region in the case of asymmetric $d+{}^{12}$C and ${}^{12}$C + ${}^{181}$Ta collisions and remained at the midrapidity position for symmetric ${}^{12}$C + ${}^{12}$C collisions. The extracted widths and locations of the centers of transverse momentum versus rapidity spectra of the negative pions did not depend within uncertainties on the masses of the projectile and target nuclei as well as the collision centrality. The experimental results were compared systematically with the corresponding results extracted by using a version of the quark-gluon-string model adapted to intermediate energies.

QCD analysis of Lambda hyperon production in DIS target-fragmentation region

We consider Lambda-hyperon production in the target-fragmentation region of semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering within the framework of fracture functions. We present a first attempt to determine the flavour and energy dependences of these non-perturbative distributions through a simultaneous QCD-based fit to available neutral- and charged-current semi-inclusive-DIS cross sections. Predictions based on the resulting nucleon-to-Lambda fracture functions are in good agreement with data and observables not included in the regression. The successful prediction of the $Q^2$ dependence of the Lambda multiplicity notably represents the first validation of the perturbative framework implied by fracture functions.

Intrinsic transverse momentum and parton correlations from dynamical chiral symmetry breaking

The dynamical breaking of chiral symmetry in QCD is caused by nonperturbative interactions on a scale rho ~ 0.3 fm, much smaller than the hadronic size R ~ 1 fm. These short-distance interactions influence the intrinsic transverse momentum distributions of partons and their correlations at a low normalization point. We study this phenomenon in an effective description of low-energy dynamics based on chiral constituent quark degrees of freedom, which refers to the large-N_c limit of QCD. The nucleon is obtained as a system of constituent quarks and antiquarks moving in a self-consistent classical chiral field (chiral quark-soliton model). The calculated distributions of constituent quarks/antiquarks are matched with QCD partons at the scale rho^{-2}. The p_T distribution of valence quarks is localized at p_T^2 ~ R^{-2} and roughly of Gaussian shape. The sea quark distribution exhibits a would-be power-like tail ~1/p_T^2 extending up to the chiral symmetry-breaking scale. Such behavior is seen in the flavor-singlet unpolarized and nonsinglet polarized sea. The high-momentum tails are the result of short-range correlations between sea quarks in the nucleon's light-cone wave function, analogous to NN correlations in nuclei. The nucleon wave function contains correlated pairs of transverse size rho << R with sigma- and pi-like quantum numbers, whose internal wave functions become identical at p_T^2 ~ rho^{-2} (restoration of chiral symmetry). These features are model-independent and represent an effect of dynamical chiral symmetry breaking on the nucleon's partonic structure. Our results have numerous implications for the P_T distributions of particles produced in hard scattering processes. The nonperturbative parton correlations predicted here could be observed in particle correlations between the current and target fragmentation regions of DIS.

A novel beam–spin asymmetry in double-hadron inclusive lepto-production

We show that a new beam–spin asymmetry appears in deep inelastic inclusive lepto-production at low transverse momenta when a hadron in the target fragmentation region is observed in association with another hadron in the current fragmentation region. The beam leptons are longitudinally polarized while the target nucleons are unpolarized. This asymmetry is a leading-twist effect generated by the correlation between the transverse momentum of quarks and the transverse momentum of the hadron emitted by the target. Experimental signatures of this effect are discussed.

Double hadron lepto-production in the current and target fragmentation regions

We study the inclusive production of two hadrons in deep inelastic processes, ℓN→ℓh1h2X, with h1 in the current fragmentation region (CFR) and h2 in the target fragmentation region (TFR). Assuming a factorized scheme, the recently introduced polarized and transverse momentum dependent fracture functions couple to the transverse momentum dependent fragmentation functions. This allows the full exploration of the fracture functions for transversely polarized quarks. Some particular cases are considered.

SIDIS in the target fragmentation region: Polarized and transverse-momentum dependent fracture functions

The target fragmentation region of semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering is described at leading twist, taking beam and target polarizations into account. The formalism of polarized and transverse-momentum dependent fracture functions is developed and the observables for some specific processes are presented.

Chiral dynamics of the polarizing fracture functions for baryon production

The concept of spin-directed momentum provides a useful and restrictive framework for describing dynamical mechanisms that can lead to single-spin observables. The value of this framework can be demonstrated by consideration of the polarizing fracture functions, ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}^{N}{M}_{B\ensuremath{\uparrow}/p}^{q}(x,z,{k}_{TN};{Q}^{2})$, that characterize the production of polarized baryons in the target fragmentation region of semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from an unpolarized target. When Bjorken $x$ is chosen large enough to indicate a hard scattering from a valence quark, the fracture function formalism dynamically selects a quark-diquark basis for baryon structure. Attention to constituent orbital angular momentum in the formation process and its role in contributing to the transverse momentum of the produced baryon illustrates important aspects of the generation of polarization observables.

Two-particle azimuthal correlations in 4.2AGeV C+Ta collisions

Two particle azimuthal correlations are studied in $4.2A$ GeV C+Ta collisions observed with the 2-m propane bubble chamber exposed at JINR Dubna Synchrophasotron. The correlations are analyzed both for protons and negative pions, and their dependence on the collision centrality, rapidity and rapidity difference is investigated. It is found that protons show a weak back-to-back correlations, while a side-by-side correlations are observed for negative pions. Restricting both protons to the target or projectile fragmentation region, the side-by-side correlations are observed for protons also. Using the two particle correlation function, the flow analysis is performed and intensity of directed flow is determined without event-by event estimation of the reaction plane.

A new fracture function approach to QCD initial state radiation

Ordinary fracture functions, describing the deep inelastic scattering target fragmentation region, are generalized to account for the production of hadrons in arbitrary number, thus offering a new framework for dealing with QCD initial state radiation. We propose further a new jet-like observable which measures beam remnants and low-p⊥ scattering fragments and derive its QCD evolution equations by using jet calculus formalism. Applications to semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering and hadron–hadron collisions are shortly discussed.

Model independent method for determination of the DIS structure of free neutron

We present a model independent procedure for extracting deep-inelastic structure function of “free” neutron from the electron–deuteron scattering with protons produced in the target fragmentation region of the reaction. This procedure is based on the extrapolation of t, which describes the invariant momentum transfered to the proton, to the unphysical region corresponding to the mass of the struck neutron. We demonstrate that the impulse approximation diagram of the reaction has a pole at this limit with a residue being proportional to the “free” neutron structure function. The method is analogous to that of Chew and Low for extraction of the “free” pion–pion and neutron–neutron cross sections from p(π,p)X and d(n,n)pn reactions, respectively. We demonstrate that in the extrapolation the final state interaction amplitudes are smooth functions of t and have negligible contribution in the extracted “free” nucleon structure function. We also estimate the range of the recoil nucleon momenta which could be used for successful extrapolation procedure.

Centrality and transverse momentum dependence of collective flow in 158 A GeV Pb + Pb collisions measured via inclusive photons

Directed and elliptic flow of inclusive photons near mid-rapidity in 158 A GeV Pb + Pb collisions has been studied. The data have been obtained with the photon spectrometer LEDA of the WA98 experiment at the CERN SPS. The flow strength has been measured for various centralities as a function of p T and rapidity over 0.18 < p T < 1.5 GeV / c and 2.3 < y < 2.9 . The angular anisotropy has been studied relative to an event plane obtained in the target fragmentation region that shows the elliptic flow to be in-plane. The elliptic flow has also been studied using two-particle correlations and shown to give similar results. A small directed flow component is observed. Both the directed and elliptic flow strengths increase with p T . The photon flow results are used to estimate the corresponding neutral pion flow.

Single-spin asymmetry of inclusive π 0-meson production in 40-GeV pion interactions with a polarized target in the target-fragmentation region

Data on the single-spin asymmetry (AN) of inclusive π0 production in 40-GeV pion interactions with a polarized target, π−+↑→π0+X, are presented for the target-fragmentation region. The result is AN=(−13.8±3.8)% for −0.8<xF<−0.4 and 1<pT<2 GeV/c and is compatible with zero for −0.4<xF<−0.1 and 0.5<pT<1.5 GeV/c. At a π0 momentum of about 1.7 GeV/c in the c.m. frame, the asymmetry becomes nonzero both in the central and in the target-fragmentation region. The behavior of the asymmetry is similar to that observed in the beam-fragmentation region of the E-704 (FNAL, 200 GeV) and STAR (BNL, 20 TeV) experiments, which employed a polarized proton beam.

Hadron multiplicity in semi-inclusive lepton-nucleon and lepton-nucleus scattering

We discuss multi-hadron production in both inelastic neutrino-nucleon interactions in the current fragmentation region and neutrino-nucleus collisions in the target fragmentation region. Our analysis, carried out within the framework of the quark-gluon string model, is mainly focused on the difference between these two processes. We show that the $Q^2$ dependence of hadron multiplicity in the current and target fragmentation regions is indeed completely different. The study of inelastic $\nu-A$ scattering in the target fragmentation region also provides new information on nuclear structure at small $N-N$ distances. The results of the proposed approach are in satisfactory agreement with the data recently obtained at CERN by the NOMAD Collaboration.

Spin alignments of vector mesons in deeply inelastic lepton-nucleon scattering

We extend the calculations of the spin alignments of vector mesons in $e^+e^-$ annihilation in a recent Rapid Communication to deeply inelastic lepton-nucleon scatterings. We present the results for different mesons in the current fragmentation regions of $\mu^- N$$ \to$$ \mu^- VX$ at high energies and $\nu_\mu N $$\to$$ \mu^- VX$ at both high and low energies. We also present the predictions for $\nu_\mu N$$ \to$$ \mu^- VX$ at NOMAD energies in the target fragmentation region using a valence quark model.