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D. Müller

Publications and source records attributed to D. Müller.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Deeply virtual Compton scattering off nuclei

We consider the hard leptoproduction of a photon off nuclei up to spin-1. As a new result we present here the general azimuthal angular dependence of the differential cross section for a spin-1 target. Its twist-two Fourier coefficients of the interference and squared deeply virtual Compton scattering amplitude are evaluated in leading order approximation of perturbation theory in terms of generalized parton distributions, while the pure Bethe--Heitler cross section is exactly calculated in terms of electromagnetic form factors. Relying on a simple model for the nucleon generalized parton distribution $H$, which describes the existing DVCS data for a proton target, we estimate the size of unpolarized cross sections, beam and longitudinal target spin as well as unpolarized charge asymmetries for present fixed target experiments with nuclei. These estimates are confronted with preliminary HERMES data for deuterium and neon.

hep-ph↗

Exclusive electroproduction of lepton pairs as a probe of nucleon structure

We suggest the measurement of exclusive electroproduction of lepton pairs as a tool to study inter-parton correlations in the nucleon via generalized parton distributions in the kinematical region where this process is light-cone dominated. We demonstrate how the single beam-spin asymmetry allows to perform such kind of analysis and give a number of predictions for several experimental setups. We comment on other observables which allow for a clean separation of different species of generalized parton distributions.

hep-ph↗

The TeV spectrum of H1426+428

The BL Lac object H1426+428 was recently detected as a high energy gamma-ray source by the VERITAS collaboration (Horan et al. 2002). We have reanalyzed the 2001 portion of the data used in the detection in order to examine the spectrum of H1426+428 above 250 GeV. We find that the time-averaged spectrum agrees with a power law of the shape dF/dE = 10^(-7.31 +- 0.15(stat) +- 0.16(syst)) x E^(-3.50 +- 0.35(stat) +- 0.05(syst)) m^(-2)s^(-1)TeV^(-1) The statistical evidence from our data for emission above 2.5 TeV is 2.6 sigma. With 95% c.l., the integral flux of H1426+428 above 2.5 TeV is larger than 3% of the corresponding flux from the Crab Nebula. The spectrum is consistent with the (non-contemporaneous) measurement by Aharonian et al. (2002) both in shape and in normalization. Below 800 GeV, the data clearly favours a spectrum steeper than that of any other TeV Blazar observed so far indicating a difference in the processes involved either at the source or in the intervening space.

astro-ph↗

Nucleon hologram with exclusive leptoproduction

Hard exclusive leptoproductions of real photons, lepton pairs and mesons are the most promising tools to unravel the three-dimensional picture of the nucleon, which cannot be deduced from conventional inclusive processes like deeply inelastic scattering.

hep-ph↗

Discovery of Spectral Variability of Markarian 421 at TeV Energies

The detection of spectral variability of the gamma-ray blazar Mrk 421 at TeV energies is reported. Observations with the Whipple Observatory 10m gamma-ray telescope taken in 2000/2001 revealed exceptionally strong and long-lasting flaring activity. Flaring levels of 0.4 to 13 times that of the Crab Nebula flux provided sufficient statistics for a detailed study of the energy spectrum between 380 GeV and 8.2 TeV as a function of flux level. These spectra are well described by a power law with an exponential cutoff. There is no evidence for variation in the cutoff energy with flux, and all spectra are consistent with an average value for the cutoff energy of 4.3 TeV. The spectral index varies between 1.89 in a high flux state and 2.72 in a low state. The correlation between spectral index and flux is tight when averaging over the total 2000/2001 data set. Spectral measurements of Mrk~421 from previous years (1995/96 and 1999) by the Whipple collaboration are consistent with this flux-spectral index correlation, which suggest that this may be a constant or a long-term property of the source. If a similar flux-spectral index correlation were found for other gamma-ray blazars, this universal property could help disentangle the intrinsic emission mechanism from external absorption effects.

astro-ph↗

Theory of deeply virtual Compton scattering on the nucleon

We compute the cross section for leptoproduction of the real photon off the nucleon, which is sensitive to the deeply virtual Compton scattering amplitude with power accuracy. Our considerations go beyond the leading twist and involve the complete analysis in the twist-three approximation. We discuss consequences of the target and lepton beam polarizations for accessing the generalized parton distributions from experimental measurements of the azimuthal angular dependence of the final state photon or nucleon. We introduce several sets of asymmetries, defined as Fourier moments with respect to the azimuthal angle, which allow for a clear separation of the twist-two and -three sectors. Relying on a simple ansatz for the generalized parton distributions, we give quantitative estimates for azimuthal and spin asymmetries, discuss the uncertainties of these predictions brought in by radiative corrections, and compare them with experimental data as well as other theoretical expectations. Furthermore, we derive a general parametrization of the DVCS amplitudes in the region of small Bjorken variable.

hep-ph↗

Cutoff in the TeV Energy Spectrum of Markarian 421 During Strong Flares in 2001

Exceptionally strong and long lasting flaring activity of the blazar Markarian 421 (Mrk 421) occurred between January and March 2001. Based on the excellent signal-to-noise ratio of the data we derive the energy spectrum between 260 GeV - 17 TeV with unprecedented statistical precision. The spectrum is not well described by a simple power law even with a curvature term. Instead the data can be described by a power law with exponential cutoff: $\rm {{dN}\over{dE}} \propto \rm E^{-2.14 \pm 0.03_{stat}} \times e^{-E/E_{0}} m^{-2} s^{-1} TeV^{-1}$ with $\rm E_{0} = 4.3 \pm 0.3_{stat} TeV$. Mrk 421 is the second $γ$-ray blazar that unambiguously exhibits an absorption-like feature in its spectral energy distribution at 3-6 TeV suggesting that this may be a universal phenomenon, possibly due to the extragalactic infra-red background radiation.

astro-ph↗

Spin effects in deeply virtual Compton scattering

We consider the azimuthal angle dependence in the cross section of the hard leptoproduction of a photon on a nucleon target. We show that this dependence allows to define observables that isolate the twist-two and twist-three sectors in the deeply virtual Compton scattering amplitude. All twist-two and twist-three Compton form factors can be extracted from measurements of the charge odd part of the polarized cross section and give access to all generalized parton distributions.

hep-ph↗

Leading twist asymmetries in deeply virtual Compton scattering

We calculate spin, charge, and azimuthal asymmetries in deeply virtual Compton scattering at leading twist-two level. The measurement of these asymmetries gives an access to the imaginary and real part of all deeply virtual Compton scattering amplitudes. We note that a consistent description of this process requires taking into account twist-three contributions and give then a model dependent estimate of these asymmetries.

hep-ph↗

Theory and phenomenology of generalized parton distributions: a brief overview

The generalized parton distributions are non-perturbative objects, which encode information on long distance dynamics in a number of exclusive processes. They are hybrids of conventional parton densities, distribution amplitudes and hadron form factors. We give a brief review of theoretical developments in understanding of their properties, higher order perturbative effects, power corrections, and experimental observables where they are accessible.

hep-ph↗

Hard exclusive meson production at next-to-leading order

We evaluate perturbative next-to-leading order corrections to the hard exclusive leptoproduction of pi+ mesons on a transversely polarized proton target. A model dependent study shows that these corrections can be large. We analyze the scale dependence and explore the Brodsky-Lepage-Mackenzie scale setting procedure. Although the predictions for the cross section suffer from theoretical uncertainties, the transverse nucleon single spin asymmetry turns out to be a rather stable observable since higher order effects approximately cancel there.

hep-ph↗

Twist-three observables in deeply virtual Compton scattering on the nucleon

We study twist-three effects in deeply virtual Compton scattering on an unpolarized spin-1/2 target. A careful definition of observables as Fourier moments w.r.t. the azimuthal angle allows for a clear separation of twist-two and -three effects. Although the latter are power suppressed, they give leading contributions to the twist-three asymmetries and do not affect the twist-two observables.

hep-ph↗

Twist-three analysis of photon electroproduction with pion

We study twist-three effects in spin, charge, and azimuthal asymmetries in deeply virtual Compton scattering on a spin-zero target. Contributions which are power suppressed in 1/Q generate a new azimuthal angle dependence of the cross section which is not present in the leading twist results. On the other hand the leading twist terms are not modified by the twist three contributions. They may get corrected at twist four level. In the Wandzura-Wilczek approximation these new terms in the Fourier expansion with respect to the azimuthal angle are entirely determined by the twist-two skewed parton distributions. We also discuss more general issues like the general form of the angular dependence of the differential cross section, validity of factorization at twist-three level, and a relation of skewed parton distributions to spectral functions.

hep-ph↗

Resummation of target mass corrections in two-photon processes: twist-two sector

We develop a formalism for the resummation of target mass corrections in off-forward two-photon amplitudes given by a chronological product of electromagnetic currents, arising in e.g. deeply virtual Compton scattering. The method is based on a relation of composite operators with a definite twist to harmonic tensors, which form an irreducible representation of the Lorentz group. We give an application of the framework for the matrix elements of twist-two operators.

hep-ph↗

Superconformal constraints for QCD conformal anomalies

Anomalous superconformal Ward identities and commutator algebra in N = 1 super-Yang-Mills theory give rise to constraints between the QCD special conformal anomalies of conformal composite operators. We evaluate the superconformal anomalies that appear in the product of renormalized conformal operators and the trace anomaly in the supersymmetric spinor current and check the constraints at one-loop order. In this way we prove the universality of QCD conformal anomalies, which define the non-diagonal part of the anomalous dimension matrix responsible for scaling violations of exclusive QCD amplitudes at the next-to-leading order.

hep-ph↗

NLO evolution kernels for skewed transversity distributions

We present a calculation of the two-loop evolution kernels of the twist-two transversally polarized quark and linearly polarized gluon skewed parton distributions in the minimal subtraction scheme and discuss a solution of the evolution equations suitable for numerical implementations.

hep-ph↗