arXiv subjects

G. P. Gilfoyle

Publications and source records attributed to G. P. Gilfoyle.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Beam-Recoil Transferred Polarization in $K^+Y$ Electroproduction in the Nucleon Resonance Region with CLAS12

Beam-recoil transferred polarizations for the exclusive electroproduction of $K^+Λ$ and $K^+Σ^0$ final states from an unpolarized proton target have been measured using the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Laboratory. The measurements at beam energies of 6.535~GeV and 7.546~GeV span the range of four-momentum transfer $Q^2$ from 0.3 to 4.5~GeV$^2$ and invariant energy $W$ from 1.6 to 2.4~GeV, while covering the full center-of-mass angular range of the $K^+$. These new data extend the existing hyperon polarization data from CLAS in a similar kinematic range but from a significantly larger dataset. They represent an important addition to the world data, allowing for better exploration of the reaction mechanism in strangeness production processes, for further understanding of the spectrum and structure of excited nucleon states, and for improved insight into the strong interaction in the regime of non-perturbative dynamics.

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arXiv2022

Multidimensional, high precision measurements of beam single spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive $π^{+}$ electroproduction off protons in the valence region

High precision measurements of the polarized electron beam-spin asymmetry in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) from the proton have been performed using a 10.6~GeV incident electron beam and the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. We report here a high precision multidimensional study of single $π^{+}$ SIDIS data over a large kinematic range in Bjorken x, fractional energy and transverse momentum of the hadron as well as photon virtualities $Q^{2}$ ranging from $1-7\,$GeV$^{2}$. In particular, the structure function ratio $F^{\sinϕ}_{LU}/F_{UU}$ has been determined, where $F^{\sinϕ}_{LU}$ is a twist-3 quantity that can reveal novel aspects of emergent hadron mass and quark-gluon correlations within the nucleon. The data's impact on the evolving understanding of the underlying reaction mechanisms and their kinematic variation is explored using theoretical models for the different contributing transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions.

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arXiv2022

Measurement of charged-pion production in deep-inelastic scattering off nuclei with the CLAS detector

Background: Energetic quarks in nuclear DIS propagate through the nuclear medium. Processes that are believed to occur inside nuclei include quark energy loss through medium-stimulated gluon bremsstrahlung and intra-nuclear interactions of forming hadrons. More data are required to gain a more complete understanding of these effects. Purpose: To test the theoretical models of parton transport and hadron formation, we compared their predictions for the nuclear and kinematic dependence of pion production in nuclei. Methods: We have measured charged-pion production in semi-inclusive DIS off D, C, Fe, and Pb using the CLAS detector and the CEBAF 5.014 GeV electron beam. We report results on the nuclear-to-deuterium multiplicity ratio for $π^{+}$ and $π^{-}$ as a function of energy transfer, four-momentum transfer, and pion energy fraction or transverse momentum - the first three-dimensional study of its kind. Results: The $π^{+}$ multiplicity ratio is found to depend strongly on the pion fractional energy $z$, and reaches minimum values of $0.67\pm0.03$, $0.43\pm0.02$, and $0.27\pm0.01$ for the C, Fe, and Pb targets, respectively. The $z$ dependences of the multiplicity ratios for $π^{+}$ and $π^{-}$ are equal within uncertainties for C and Fe targets but show differences at the level of 10$\%$ for the Pb-target data. The results are qualitatively described by the GiBUU transport model, as well as with a model based on hadron absorption, but are in tension with calculations based on nuclear fragmentation functions. Conclusions: These precise results will strongly constrain the kinematic and flavor dependence of nuclear effects in hadron production, probing an unexplored kinematic region. They will help to reveal how the nucleus reacts to a fast quark, thereby shedding light on its color structure, transport properties, and on the mechanisms of the hadronization process.

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arXiv2022

Measurement of the proton spin structure at long distances

Measuring the spin structure of protons and neutrons tests our understanding of how they arise from quarks and gluons, the fundamental building blocks of nuclear matter. At long distances the coupling constant of the strong interaction becomes large, requiring non-perturbative methods to calculate quantum chromodynamics processes, such as lattice gauge theory or effective field theories. Here we report proton spin structure measurements from scattering a polarized electron beam off polarized protons. The spin-dependent cross-sections were measured at large distances, corresponding to the region of low momentum transfer squared between 0.012 and 1.0 GeV$^2$. This kinematic range provides unique tests of chiral effective field theory predictions. Our results show that a complete description of the nucleon spin remains elusive, and call for further theoretical works, e.g. in lattice quantum chromodynamics. Finally, our data extrapolated to the photon point agree with the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule, a fundamental prediction of quantum field theory that relates the anomalous magnetic moment of the proton to its integrated spin-dependent cross-sections.

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arXiv2021

Polarized Structure Function $σ_{LT'}$ from $π^0 p$ Electroproduction Data in the Resonance Region at $0.4$ GeV$^2 < Q^2 < 1.0$ GeV$^2$

The first results on the $σ_{LT'}$ structure function in exclusive $π^0p$ electroproduction at invariant masses of the final state of 1.5 GeV $<$ $W$ $<$ 1.8 GeV and in the range of photon virtualities 0.4 GeV$^2 < Q^2 < 1.0$ GeV$^2$ were obtained from data on beam spin asymmetries and differential cross sections measured with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. The Legendre moments determined from the $σ_{LT'}$ structure function have demonstrated sensitivity to the contributions from the nucleon resonances in the second and third resonance regions. These new data on the beam spin asymmetries in $π^0p$ electroproduction extend the opportunities for the extraction of the nucleon resonance electroexcitation amplitudes in the mass range above 1.6 GeV.

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arXiv2021

First-time measurement of Timelike Compton Scattering

We present the first measurement of the Timelike Compton Scattering process, $γp\to p^\prime γ^* (γ^*\to e^+e^-) $, obtained with the CLAS12 detector at Jefferson Lab. The photon beam polarization and the decay lepton angular asymmetries are reported in the range of timelike photon virtualities $2.25<Q^{\prime 2}<9$ GeV$^2$, squared momentum transferred $0.1<-t<0.8$ GeV$^2$, and average total center-of-mass energy squared ${s}=14.5$ GeV$^2$. The photon beam polarization asymmetry, similar to the beam-spin asymmetry in Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering, is sensitive to the imaginary part of the Compton Form Factors and provides a way to test the universality of the Generalized Parton Distributions. The angular asymmetry of the decay leptons accesses the real part of the Compton Form Factors and thus the D-term in the parametrization of the Generalized Parton Distributions.

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arXiv2021

Measurement of deeply virtual Compton scattering off Helium-4 with CLAS at Jefferson Lab

We report on the measurement of the beam spin asymmetry in the deeply virtual Compton scattering off $^4$He using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Lab using a 6 GeV longitudinally polarized electron beam incident on a pressurized $^4$He gaseous target. We detail the method used to ensure the exclusivity of the measured reactions, in particular the upgrade of CLAS with a radial time projection chamber to detect the low-energy recoiling $^4$He nuclei and an inner calorimeter to extend the photon detection acceptance at forward angles. Our results confirm the theoretically predicted enhancement of the coherent ($e^4$He$~\to~e'$$^4$He$'γ'$) beam spin asymmetries compared to those observed on the free proton, while the incoherent ($e^4$He$~\to~e'$p$'γ'$X$'$) asymmetries exhibit a 30$\%$ suppression. From the coherent data, we were able to extract, in a model-independent way, the real and imaginary parts of the only $^4$He Compton form factor, $\cal H_A$, leading the way toward 3D imaging of the partonic structure of nuclei.

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arXiv2021

Observation of Beam Spin Asymmetries in the Process $e p \rightarrow e π^{+}π^{-}X$ with CLAS12

The observation of beam spin asymmetries in two-pion production in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering off an unpolarized proton target is reported. The data presented here were taken in the fall of 2018 with the CLAS12 spectrometer using a 10.6 GeV longitudinally spin-polarized electron beam delivered by CEBAF at JLab. The measured asymmetries provide the first opportunity to extract the parton distribution function $e(x)$, which provides information about the interaction between gluons and quarks, in a collinear framework that offers cleaner access than previous measurements. The asymmetries also constitute the first ever signal sensitive to the helicity-dependent two-pion fragmentation function $G_1^\perp$. A clear sign change is observed around the $ρ$ mass that appears in model calculations and is indicative of the dependence of the produced pions on the helicity of the fragmenting quark.

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arXiv2021

Differential cross sections for Λ(1520) using photoproduction at CLAS

The reaction $γp \rightarrow K^{+} Λ(1520)$ using photoproduction data from the CLAS $g12$ experiment at Jefferson Lab is studied. The decay of $Λ(1520)$ into two exclusive channels, $Σ^{+}π^{-}$ and $Σ^{-}π^{+}$, is studied from the detected $K^{+}$, $π^{+}$, and $π^{-}$ particles. A good agreement is established for the $Λ(1520)$ differential cross sections with the previous CLAS measurements. The differential cross sections as a function of CM angle are extended to higher photon energies. Newly added are the differential cross sections as a function of invariant 4-momentum transfer $t$, which is the natural variable to use for a theoretical model based on a Regge-exchange reaction mechanism. No new $N^*$ resonances decaying into the $K^+Λ(1520)$ final state are found.

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arXiv2020

Photoproduction of $η$ mesons off the proton for $1.2 < E_γ< 4.7$ GeV using CLAS at Jefferson Laboratory

Photoproduction cross sections are reported for the reaction $γp\to pη$ using energy-tagged photons and the CLAS spectrometer at Jefferson Laboratory. The $η$ mesons are detected in their dominant charged decay mode, $η\to π^+π^-π^0$, and results on differential cross sections are presented for incident photon energies between 1.2 and 4.7 GeV. These new $η$ photoproduction data are consistent with earlier CLAS results but extend the energy range beyond the nucleon resonance region into the Regge regime. The normalized angular distributions are also compared with the experimental results from several other experiments, and with predictions of $η$ MAID\,2018 and the latest solution of the Bonn-Gatchina coupled-channel analysis. Differential cross sections $dσ/dt$ are presented for incident photon energies $E_γ> 2.9$ GeV ($W > 2.5$ GeV), and compared with predictions which are based on Regge trajectories exchange in the $t$-channel (Regge models). The data confirm the expected dominance of $ρ$, $ω$ vector-meson exchange in an analysis by the Joint Physics Analysis Center.

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arXiv2020

Probing the core of the strong nuclear interaction

The strong nuclear interaction between nucleons (protons and neutrons) is the effective force that holds the atomic nucleus together. This force stems from fundamental interactions between quarks and gluons (the constituents of nucleons) that are described by the equations of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). However, as these equations cannot be solved directly, physicists resort to describing nuclear interactions using effective models that are well constrained at typical inter-nucleon distances in nuclei but not at shorter distances. This limits our ability to describe high-density nuclear matter such as in the cores of neutron stars. Here we use high-energy electron scattering measurements that isolate nucleon pairs in short-distance, high-momentum configurations thereby accessing a kinematical regime that has not been previously explored by experiments, corresponding to relative momenta above 400 MeV/c. As the relative momentum between two nucleons increases and their separation thereby decreases, we observe a transition from a spin-dependent tensor-force to a predominantly spin-independent scalar-force. These results demonstrate the power of using such measurements to study the nuclear interaction at short-distances and also support the use of point-like nucleons with two- and three-body effective interactions to describe nuclear systems up to densities several times higher than the central density of atomic nuclei.

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arXiv2020

Beam spin asymmetry in semi-inclusive electroproduction of a hadron pair

A first measurement of the longitudinal beam spin asymmetry ALU in the semi-inclusive electroproduction of pairs of charged pions is reported. ALU is a higher-twist observable and offers the cleanest access to the nucleon twist-3 parton distribution function e(x). Data have been collected in the Hall-B at Jefferson Lab by impinging a 5.498 GeV electron beam on a liquid-hydrogen target, and reconstructing the scattered electron and the pion pair with the CLAS detector. One-dimensional projections of the sin(phiR) moments of ALU are extracted for the kinematic variables of interest in the valence quark region. The understanding of di-hadron production is essential for the interpretation of observables in single hadron production in semi-inclusive DIS, and pioneering measurements of single spin asymmetries in di-hadron production open a new avenue in studies of QCD dynamics.

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arXiv2020

Extraction of beam-spin asymmetries from the hard exclusive $π^{+}$ channel off protons in a wide range of kinematics

We have measured beam-spin asymmetries to extract the $\sinϕ$ moment $A_{LU}^{\sinϕ}$ from the hard exclusive $\vec{e} p \to e^\prime n π^+$ reaction above the resonance region, for the first time with nearly full coverage from forward to backward angles in the center-of-mass. The $A_{LU}^{\sinϕ}$ moment has been measured up to 6.6 GeV$^{2}$ in $-t$, covering the kinematic regimes of Generalized Parton Distributions (GPD) and baryon-to-meson Transition Distribution Amplitudes (TDA) at the same time. The experimental results in very forward kinematics demonstrate the sensitivity to chiral-odd and chiral-even GPDs. In very backward kinematics where the TDA framework is applicable, we found $A_{LU}^{\sinϕ}$ to be negative, while a sign change was observed near 90$^\circ$ in the center-of-mass. The unique results presented in this paper will provide critical constraints to establish reaction mechanisms that can help to further develop the GPD and TDA frameworks.

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arXiv2019

Exploring the Structure of the Bound Proton with Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering

In the past two decades, deeply virtual Compton scattering of electrons has been successfully used to advance our knowledge of the partonic structure of the free proton and investigate correlations between the transverse position and the longitudinal momentum of quarks inside the nucleon. Meanwhile, the structure of bound nucleons in nuclei has been studied in inclusive deep-inelastic lepton scattering experiments off nuclear targets, showing a significant difference in longitudinal momentum distribution of quarks inside the bound nucleon, known as the EMC effect. In this work, we report the first beam spin asymmetry (BSA) measurement of exclusive deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) off a proton bound in $^4$He. The data used here were accumulated using a $6$ GeV longitudinally polarized electron beam incident on a pressurized $^4$He gaseous target placed within the CLAS spectrometer in Hall-B at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The azimuthal angle ($ϕ$) dependence of the BSA was studied in a wide range of virtual photon and scattered proton kinematics. The $Q^2$, $x_B$, and t dependencies of the BSA on the bound proton are compared with those on the free proton. In the whole kinematical region of our measurements, the BSA on the bound proton is smaller by 20\% to 40\%, indicating possible medium modification of its partonic structure.

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arXiv2019

First Measurements of the Double-Polarization Observables $F$, $P$, and $H$ in $ω$ Photoproduction off Transversely Polarized Protons in the $N^\ast$ Resonance Region

First measurements of double-polarization observables in $ω$ photoproduction off the proton are presented using transverse target polarization and data from the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) FROST experiment at Jefferson Lab. The beam-target asymmetry $F$ has been measured using circularly polarized, tagged photons in the energy range 1200 - 2700 MeV, and the beam-target asymmetries $H$ and $P$ have been measured using linearly polarized tagged photons in the energy range 1200 - 2000 MeV. These measurements significantly increase the database on polarization observables. The results are included in two partial-wave analyses and reveal significant contributions from several nucleon ($N^\ast$) resonances. In particular, contributions from new $N^\ast$ resonances listed in the Review of Particle Properties are observed, which aid in reaching the goal of mapping out the nucleon resonance spectrum.

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arXiv2018

First results on nucleon resonance photocouplings from the $γp \to π^+π^-p$ reaction

We report the first experimental measurements of the nine 1-fold differential cross sections for the $γp \to π^+π^-p$ reaction, obtained with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory. The measurements cover the invariant mass range of the final state hadrons from 1.6~GeV~$<W<$~2.0~GeV. For the first time the photocouplings of all prominent nucleon resonances in this mass range have been extracted from this exclusive channel. Photoproduction of two charged pions is of particular importance for the evaluation of the photocouplings for the $Δ(1620)1/2^-$, $Δ(1700)3/2^-$, $N(1720)3/2^+$, and $Δ(1905)5/2^+$ resonances, which have dominant decays into the $ππN$ final states rather than the more extensively studied single meson decay channels.

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arXiv2018

Measurement of the beam asymmetry $Σ$ and the target asymmetry $T$ in the photoproduction of $ω$ mesons off the proton using CLAS at Jefferson Laboratory

The photoproduction of $ω$ mesons off the proton has been studied in the reaction $γp\to p\,ω$ using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) and the frozen-spin target (FROST) in Hall B at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. For the first time, the target asymmetry, $T$, has been measured in photoproduction from the decay $ω\toπ^+π^-π^0$, using a transversely-polarized target with energies ranging from just above the reaction threshold up to 2.8 GeV. Significant non-zero values are observed for these asymmetries, reaching about 30-40% in the third-resonance region. New measurements for the photon-beam asymmetry, $Σ$, are also presented, which agree well with previous CLAS results and extend the world database up to 2.1 GeV. These data and additional $ω$-photoproduction observables from CLAS were included in a partial-wave analysis within the Bonn-Gatchina framework. Significant contributions from $s$-channel resonance production were found in addition to $t$-channel exchange processes.

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arXiv2018

Semi-Inclusive $π_0$ target and beam-target asymmetries from 6 GeV electron scattering with CLAS

We present precision measurements of the target and beam-target spin asymmetries from neutral pion electroproduction in deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Lab. We scattered 6-GeV, longitudinally polarized electrons off longitudinally polarized protons in a cryogenic $^{14}$NH$_3$ target, and extracted double and single target spin asymmetries for $ep\rightarrow e^\primeπ^0X$ in multidimensional bins in four-momentum transfer ($1.0<Q^2<3.2$ GeV$^2$), Bjorken-$x$ ($0.12<x<0.48$), hadron energy fraction ($0.4<z<0.7$), transverse pion momentum ($0<P_T<1.0$ GeV), and azimuthal angle $ϕ_h$ between the lepton scattering and hadron production planes. We extracted asymmetries as a function of both $x$ and $P_T$, which provide access to transverse-momentum distributions of longitudinally polarized quarks. The double spin asymmetries depend weakly on $P_T$. The $\sin 2ϕ_h$ moments are zero within uncertainties, which is consistent with the expected suppression of the Collins fragmentation function. The observed $\sinϕ_h$ moments suggest that quark gluon correlations are significant at large $x$.

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