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A. G. Chumakov

Publications and source records attributed to A. G. Chumakov.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

High-statistics measurement of Collins and Sivers asymmetries for transversely polarised deuterons

New results are presented on a high-statistics measurement of Collins and Sivers asymmetries of charged hadrons produced in deep inelastic scattering of muons on a transversely polarised $^6$LiD target. The data were taken in 2022 with the COMPASS spectrometer using the 160 \gevv\ muon beam at CERN, balancing the existing data on transversely polarised proton targets. The first results from about two-thirds of the new data have total uncertainties smaller by up to a factor of three compared to the previous deuteron measurements. Using all the COMPASS proton and deuteron results, both the transversity and the Sivers distribution functions of the $u$ and $d$ quark, as well as the tensor charge in the measured $x$-range are extracted. In particular, the accuracy of the $d$ quark results is significantly improved.

hep-ex

Final COMPASS results on the transverse-spin-dependent azimuthal asymmetries in the pion-induced Drell-Yan process

The COMPASS Collaboration performed measurements of the Drell-Yan process in 2015 and 2018 using a 190 GeV/c $π^{-}$ beam impinging on a transversely polarised ammonia target. Combining the data of both years, we present final results on the amplitudes of the five azimuthal modulations in the dimuon production cross section. Three of these transverse-spin-dependent azimuthal asymmetries (TSAs) probe the nucleon leading-twist Sivers, transversity, and pretzelosity transverse-momentum dependent (TMD) parton distribution functions (PDFs). The other two are induced by subleading effects. These TSAs provide unique new inputs for the study of the nucleon TMD PDFs and their universality properties. In particular, the Sivers TSA observed in this measurement is consistent with the fundamental QCD prediction of a sign change of naive time-reversal-odd TMD PDFs when comparing the Drell-Yan process with semi-inclusive measurements of deep inelastic scattering. Also, within the context of model predictions, the observed transversity TSA is consistent with the expectation of a sign change for the Boer-Mulders function.

hep-ex

Measurement of the intrinsic hadronic contamination in the NA64$-e$ high-purity $e^+/e^-$ beam at CERN

In this study, we present the measurement of the intrinsic hadronic contamination at the CERN SPS H4 beamline configured to transport electrons and positrons at 100 GeV/c momentum. The analysis was performed using data collected by the NA64-$e$ experiment in 2022. Our study is based on calorimetric measurements, exploiting the different interaction mechanisms of electrons and hadrons in the NA64-ECAL and NA64-HCAL detectors. We determined the intrinsic hadronic contamination by comparing the results obtained using the nominal electron/positron beamline configuration with those obtained in a dedicated setup, in which only hadrons impinged on the detector. The significant differences in the experimental signatures of electrons and hadrons motivated our approach, resulting in a small and well-controlled systematic uncertainty for the measurement. Our study allowed us to precisely determine the intrinsic hadronic contamination, which represents a crucial parameter for the NA64 experiment in which the hadron contaminants may result in non-trivial backgrounds. Moreover, we performed dedicated Monte Carlo simulations for the hadron production induced by the primary T2 target. We found a good agreement between measurements and simulation results, confirming the validity of the applied methodology and our evaluation of the intrinsic hadronic contamination.

hep-ex

Spin Density Matrix Elements in Exclusive $ρ^0$ Meson Muoproduction

We report on a measurement of Spin Density Matrix Elements (SDMEs) in hard exclusive $ρ^0$ meson muoproduction at COMPASS using 160~GeV/$c$ polarised $ μ^{+}$ and $ μ^{-}$ beams impinging on a liquid hydrogen target. The measurement covers the kinematic range 5.0~GeV/$c^2$ $< W <$ 17.0~GeV/$c^2$, 1.0 (GeV/$c$)$^2$ $< Q^2 <$ 10.0 (GeV/$c$)$^2$ and 0.01 (GeV/$c$)$^2$ $< p_{\rm{T}}^2 <$ 0.5 (GeV/$c$)$^2$. Here, $W$ denotes the mass of the final hadronic system, $Q^2$ the virtuality of the exchanged photon, and $p_{\rm{T}}$ the transverse momentum of the $ρ^0$ meson with respect to the virtual-photon direction. The measured non-zero SDMEs for the transitions of transversely polarised virtual photons to longitudinally polarised vector mesons ($γ^*_T \to V^{ }_L$) indicate a violation of $s$-channel helicity conservation. Additionally, we observe a dominant contribution of natural-parity-exchange transitions and a very small contribution of unnatural-parity-exchange transitions, which is compatible with zero within experimental uncertainties. The results provide important input for modelling Generalised Parton Distributions (GPDs). In particular, they may allow one to evaluate in a model-dependent way the role of parton helicity-flip GPDs in exclusive $ρ^0$ production.

hep-ex

Collins and Sivers transverse-spin asymmetries in inclusive muoproduction of $ρ^0$ mesons

The production of vector mesons in deep inelastic scattering is an interesting yet scarsely explored channel to study the transverse spin structure of the nucleon and the related phenomena. The COMPASS collaboration has performed the first measurement of the Collins and Sivers asymmetries for inclusively produced $ρ^0$ mesons. The analysis is based on the data set collected in deep inelastic scattering in $2010$ using a $160\,\,\rm{GeV}/c$ $μ^+$ beam impinging on a transversely polarized $\rm{NH}_3$ target. The $ρ^{0}$ mesons are selected from oppositely charged hadron pairs, and the asymmetries are extracted as a function of the Bjorken-$x$ variable, the transverse momentum of the pair and the fraction of the energy $z$ carried by the pair. Indications for positive Collins and Sivers asymmetries are observed.

hep-ex

Search for Light Dark Matter with NA64 at CERN

Thermal dark matter models with particle $χ$ masses below the electroweak scale can provide an explanation for the observed relic dark matter density. This would imply the existence of a new feeble interaction between the dark and ordinary matter. We report on a new search for the sub-GeV $χ$ production through the interaction mediated by a new vector boson, called the dark photon $A'$, in collisions of 100 GeV electrons with the active target of the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS. With $9.37\times10^{11}$ electrons on target collected during 2016-2022 runs NA64 probes for the first time the well-motivated region of parameter space of benchmark thermal scalar and fermionic dark matter models. No evidence for dark matter production has been found. This allows us to set the most sensitive limits on the $A'$ couplings to photons for masses $m_{A'} \lesssim 0.35$ GeV, and to exclude scalar and Majorana dark matter with the $χ-A'$ coupling $α_D \leq 0.1$ for masses $0.001 \lesssim m_χ\lesssim 0.1$ GeV and $3m_χ\leq m_{A'}$.

hep-ex

Search for a light muon-philic $Z^\prime$ with the NA64-$e$ experiment at CERN

The extension of Standard Model made by inclusion of additional $U(1)$ gauge $L_μ-L_τ$ symmetry can explain the difference between the measured and the predicted value of the muon magnetic moment and solve the tension in $B$ meson decays. This model predicts the existence of a new, light $Z^\prime$ vector boson, predominantly coupled to second and third generation leptons, whose interaction with electrons is due to a loop mechanism involving muons and taus. In this work, we present a rigorous evaluation of the upper limits in the $Z^\prime$ parameter space, obtained from the analysis of the data collected by the NA64-$e$ experiment at CERN SPS, that performed a search for light dark matter with $2.84\times10^{11}$ electrons impinging with 100 GeV on an active thick target. The resulting limits, despite being included in a region already investigated by neutrino experiments,touch the muon $g-2$ preferred band for values of the $Z^\prime$ mass of order of 1 MeV. The sensitivity projections for the future high-statistics NA64-$e$ runs demonstrate the power of the electrons/positron beam approach in this theoretical scenario.

hep-ex

Search for a New B-L Z' Gauge Boson with the NA64 Experiment at CERN

A search for a new $Z'$ gauge boson associated with (un)broken B-L symmetry in the keV-GeV mass range is carried out for the first time using the missing-energy technique in the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS. From the analysis of the data with 3.22e11 electrons on target collected during 2016-2021 runs no signal events were found. This allows to derive new constraints on the $Z'-e$ coupling strength, which for the mass range $0.3 < m_{Z'} < 100$ MeV are more stringent compared to those obtained from the neutrino-electron scattering data.

hep-ex

Double $J/ψ$ production in pion-nucleon scattering at COMPASS

We present the study of the production of double $J/ψ$ mesons using COMPASS data collected with a 190 GeV/$c$ $π^-$ beam scattering off NH$_{3}$, Al and W targets. Kinematic distributions of the collected double $J/ψ$ events are analysed, and the double $J/ψ$ production cross section is estimated for each of the COMPASS targets. The results are compared to predictions from single- and double-parton scattering models as well as the pion intrinsic charm and the tetraquark exotic resonance hypotheses. It is demonstrated that the single parton scattering production mechanism gives the dominant contribution that is sufficient to describe the data. An upper limit on the double intrinsic charm content of pion is evaluated. No significant signatures that could be associated with exotic tetraquarks are found in the double $J/ψ$ mass spectrum.

hep-ex

The exotic meson $π_1(1600)$ with $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ and its decay into $ρ(770)π$

We study the spin-exotic $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ amplitude in single-diffractive dissociation of 190 GeV$/c$ pions into $π^-π^-π^+$ using a hydrogen target and confirm the $π_1(1600) \to ρ(770) π$ amplitude, which interferes with a nonresonant $1^{-+}$ amplitude. We demonstrate that conflicting conclusions from previous studies on these amplitudes can be attributed to different analysis models and different treatment of the dependence of the amplitudes on the squared four-momentum transfer and we thus reconcile their experimental findings. We study the nonresonant contributions to the $π^-π^-π^+$ final state using pseudo-data generated on the basis of a Deck model. Subjecting pseudo-data and real data to the same partial-wave analysis, we find good agreement concerning the spectral shape and its dependence on the squared four-momentum transfer for the $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ amplitude and also for amplitudes with other $J^{PC}$ quantum numbers. We investigate for the first time the amplitude of the $π^-π^+$ subsystem with $J^{PC} = 1^{--}$ in the $3π$ amplitude with $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ employing the novel freed-isobar analysis scheme. We reveal this $π^-π^+$ amplitude to be dominated by the $ρ(770)$ for both the $π_1(1600)$ and the nonresonant contribution. We determine the $ρ(770)$ resonance parameters within the three-pion final state. These findings largely confirm the underlying assumptions for the isobar model used in all previous partial-wave analyses addressing the $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ amplitude.

hep-ex

Triangle Singularity as the Origin of the $a_1(1420)$

The COMPASS experiment recently discovered a new isovector resonance-like signal with axial-vector quantum numbers, the $a_1(1420)$, decaying to $f_0(980)π$. With a mass too close to and a width smaller than the axial-vector ground state $a_1(1260)$, it was immediately interpreted as a new light exotic meson, similar to the $X$, $Y$, $Z$ states in the hidden-charm sector. We show that a resonance-like signal fully matching the experimental data is produced by the decay of the $a_1(1260)$ resonance into $K^\ast(\to Kπ)\bar{K}$ and subsequent rescattering through a triangle singularity into the coupled $f_0(980)π$ channel. The amplitude for this process is calculated using a new approach based on dispersion relations. The triangle-singularity model is fitted to the partial-wave data of the COMPASS experiment. Despite having less parameters, this fit shows a slightly better quality than the one using a resonance hypothesis and thus eliminates the need for an additional resonance in order to describe the data. We thereby demonstrate for the first time in the light-meson sector that a resonance-like structure in the experimental data can be described by rescattering through a triangle singularity, providing evidence for a genuine three-body effect.

hep-ph

Spin Density Matrix Elements in Exclusive $ω$ Meson Muoproduction $^*$

We report on a measurement of Spin Density Matrix Elements (SDMEs) in hard exclusive $ω$ meson muoproduction on the proton at COMPASS using 160 GeV/$c$ polarised $ μ^{+}$ and $ μ^{-}$ beams impinging on a liquid hydrogen target. The measurement covers the range 5.0 GeV/$c^2$ $< W <$ 17.0 GeV/$c^2$, with the average kinematics $\langle Q^{2} \rangle=$ 2.1 (GeV/$c$)$^2$, $\langle W \rangle= 7.6$ GeV/$c^2$, and $\langle p^{2}_{\rm T} \rangle = 0.16$ (GeV/$c$)$^2$. Here, $Q^2$ denotes the virtuality of the exchanged photon, $W$ the mass of the final hadronic system and $p_T$ the transverse momentum of the $ω$ meson with respect to the virtual-photon direction. The measured non-zero SDMEs for the transitions of transversely polarised virtual photons to longitudinally polarised vector mesons ($γ^*_T \to V_L$) indicate a violation of $s$-channel helicity conservation. Additionally, we observe a sizeable contribution of unnatural-parity-exchange (UPE) transitions that decreases with increasing $W$. The results provide important input for modelling Generalised Parton Distributions (GPDs). In particular, they may allow to evaluate in a model-dependent way the contribution of UPE transitions and assess the role of parton helicity-flip GPDs in exclusive $ω$ production.

hep-ex

Search for pseudoscalar bosons decaying into $e^+e^-$ pairs in the NA64 experiment at the CERN SPS

We report the results of a search for a light pseudoscalar particle $a$ that couples to electrons and decays to $e^+e^-$ performed using the high-energy CERN SPS H4 electron beam. If such pseudoscalar with a mass $\simeq 17$ MeV exists, it could explain the ATOMKI anomaly. We used the NA64 data samples collected in the "visible mode" configuration with total statistics corresponding to $8.4\times 10^{10}$ electrons on target (EOT) in 2017 and 2018. In order to increase sensitivity to small coupling parameter $ε$ we used also the data collected in 2016-2018 in the "invisible mode" configuration of NA64 with a total statistics corresponding to $2.84\times 10^{11}$ EOT. A thorough analysis of both these data samples in the sense of background and efficiency estimations was already performed and reported in our previous papers devoted to the search for light vector particles and axion-like particles (ALP). In this work we recalculate the signal yields, which are different due to different cross section and life time of a pseudoscalar particle $a$, and perform a new statistical analysis. As a result, the region of the two dimensional parameter space $m_a - ε$ in the mass range from 1 to 17.1 MeV is excluded. At the mass of the ATOMKI anomaly the values of $ε$ in the range $2.1 \times 10^{-4} < ε< 3.2 \times 10^{-4}$ are excluded.

hep-ex

Probing the explanation of the muon (g-2) anomaly and thermal light dark matter with the semi-visible dark photon channel

We report the results of a search for a new vector boson ($A'$) decaying into two dark matter particles $χ_1 χ_2$ of different mass. The heavier $χ_2$ particle subsequently decays to $χ_1$ and $A' \to e^- e^+$. For a sufficiently large mass splitting, this model can explain in terms of new physics the recently confirmed discrepancy observed in the muon anomalous magnetic moment at Fermilab. Remarkably, it also predicts the observed yield of thermal dark matter relic abundance. A detailed Monte-Carlo simulation was used to determine the signal yield and detection efficiency for this channel in the NA64 setup. The results were obtained re-analyzing the previous NA64 searches for an invisible decay $A'\to χ\overlineχ$ and axion-like or pseudo-scalar particles $a \to γγ$. With this method, we exclude a significant portion of the parameter space justifying the muon g-2 anomaly and being compatible with the observed dark matter relic density for $A'$ masses from 2$m_e$ up to 390 MeV and mixing parameter $ε$ between $3\times10^{-5}$ and $2\times10^{-2}$.

hep-ex

Probing transversity by measuring $Λ$ polarisation in SIDIS

Based on the observation of sizeable target-transverse-spin asymmetries in single-hadron and hadron-pair production in Semi-Inclusive measurements of Deep Inelastic Scattering (SIDIS), the chiral-odd transversity quark distribution functions $h_1^q$ are nowadays well established. Several possible channels to access these functions were originally proposed. One candidate is the measurement of the polarisation of $Λ$ hyperons produced in SIDIS off transversely polarised nucleons, where the transverse polarisation of the struck quark might be transferred to the final-state hyperon. In this article, we present the COMPASS results on the transversity-induced polarisation of $Λ$ and $\barΛ$ hyperons produced in SIDIS off transversely polarised protons. Within the experimental uncertainties, no significant deviation from zero was observed. The results are discussed in the context of different models taking into account previous experimental results on $h_1^u$ and $h_1^d$.

hep-ex

Constraints on New Physics in the Electron g-2 from a Search for Invisible Decays of a Scalar, Pseudoscalar, Vector, and Axial Vector

We performed a search for a new generic $X$ boson, which could be a scalar ($S$), pseudoscalar ($P$), vector ($V$) or an axial vector ($A$) particle produced in the 100 GeV electron scattering off nuclei, $e^- Z \to e^- Z X$, followed by its invisible decay in the NA64 experiment at CERN. No evidence for such process was found in the full NA64 data set of $2.84\times 10^{11}$ electrons on target. We place new bounds on the $S, P, V, A$ coupling strengths to electrons, and set constraints on their contributions to the electron anomalous magnetic moment $a_e$, $|Δa_{X}| \lesssim 10^{-15} - 10^{-13}$ for the $X$ mass region $m_X\lesssim 1$ GeV. These results are an order of magnitude more sensitive compared to the current accuracy on $a_e$ from the electron $g-2$ experiments and recent high-precision determination of the fine structure constant.

hep-ex

Search for Axionlike and Scalar Particles with the NA64 Experiment

We carried out a model-independent search for light scalar (s) and pseudoscalar axionlike (a) particles that couple to two photons by using the high-energy CERN SPS H4 electron beam. The new particles, if they exist, could be produced through the Primakoff effect in interactions of hard bremsstrahlung photons generated by 100 GeV electrons in the NA64 active dump with virtual photons provided by the nuclei of the dump. The a(s) would penetrate the downstream HCAL module, serving as shielding, and would be observed either through their $a(s)\toγγ$ decay in the rest of the HCAL detector or as events with large missing energy if the a(s) decays downstream of the HCAL. This method allows for the probing the a(s) parameter space, including those from generic axion models, inaccessible to previous experiments. No evidence of such processes has been found from the analysis of the data corresponding to $2.84\times10^{11}$ electrons on target allowing to set new limits on the $a(s)γγ$-coupling strength for a(s) masses below 55 MeV.

hep-ex

Antiproton over proton and K$^-$ over K$^+$ multiplicity ratios at high $z$ in DIS

The $\bar{\rm p} $ over p multiplicity ratio is measured in deep-inelastic scattering for the first time using (anti-) protons carrying a large fraction of the virtual-photon energy, $z>0.5$. The data were obtained by the COMPASS Collaboration using a 160 GeV muon beam impinging on an isoscalar $^6$LiD target. The regime of deep-inelastic scattering is ensured by requiring $Q^2$ > 1 (GeV/$c$)$^2$ for the photon virtuality and $W > 5$ GeV/$c^2$ for the invariant mass of the produced hadronic system. The range in Bjorken-$x$ is restricted to $0.01 < x < 0.40$. Protons and antiprotons are identified in the momentum range $20 ÷60$ GeV/$c$. In the whole studied $z$-region, the $\bar{\rm p}$ over p multiplicity ratio is found to be below the lower limit expected from calculations based on leading-order perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics (pQCD). Extending our earlier analysis of the K$^-$ over K$^+$ multiplicity ratio by including now events with larger virtual-photon energies, this ratio becomes closer to the expectation of next-to-leading order pQCD. The results of both analyses strengthen our earlier conclusion that the phase space available for hadronisation should be taken into account in the pQCD formalism.

hep-ex