arXiv subjects

J. R. M. Annand

Publications and source records attributed to J. R. M. Annand.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Single $π^0$ Production Off Neutrons Bound in Deuteron with Linearly Polarized Photons

The quasifree $\overrightarrowγ d\toπ^0n(p)$ photon beam asymmetry, $Σ$, has been measured at photon energies, $E_γ$, from 390 to 610 MeV, corresponding to center of mass energy from 1.271 to 1.424 GeV, for the first time. The data were collected in the A2 hall of the MAMI electron beam facility with the Crystal Ball and TAPS calorimeters covering pion center-of-mass angles from 49 to 148$^\circ$. In this kinematic region, polarization observables are sensitive to contributions from the $Δ(1232)$ and $N(1440)$ resonances. The extracted values of $Σ$ have been compared to predictions based on partial-wave analyses (PWAs) of the existing pion photoproduction database. Our comparison includes the SAID, MAID, and Bonn-Gatchina analyses; while a revised SAID fit, including the new $Σ$ measurements, has also been performed. In addition, isospin symmetry is examined as a way to predict $π^0n$ photoproduction observables, based on fits to published data in the channels $π^0p$, $π^+n$, and $π^-p$.

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arXiv2021

Simulation of the Response of the Solid State Neutron Detector for the European Spallation Source

The characteristics of the Solid-state Neutron Detector, under development for neutron-scattering measurements at the European Spallation Source, have been simulated with a Geant4-based computer code. The code models the interations of thermal neutrons and ionising radiation in the 6Li-doped scintillating glass of the detector, the production of scintillation light and the transport of optical, scintillation photons through the the scintillator, en route to the photo-cathode of the attached multi-anode photomultiplier. Factors which affect the optical-photon transport, such as surface finish, pixelation of the glass sheet, provision of a front reflector and optical coupling media are compared. Predictions of the detector response are compared with measurements made with neutron and gamma-ray sources, a collimated alpha source and finely collimated beams of 2.5 MeV protons and deuterons.

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arXiv2020

International Workshop on Next Generation Gamma-Ray Source

A workshop on The Next Generation Gamma-Ray Sources sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Physics at the Department of Energy, was held November 17--19, 2016 in Bethesda, Maryland. The goals of the workshop were to identify basic and applied research opportunities at the frontiers of nuclear physics that would be made possible by the beam capabilities of an advanced laser Compton beam facility. To anchor the scientific vision to realistically achievable beam specifications using proven technologies, the workshop brought together experts in the fields of electron accelerators, lasers, and optics to examine the technical options for achieving the beam specifications required by the most compelling parts of the proposed research programs. An international assembly of participants included current and prospective $γ$-ray beam users, accelerator and light-source physicists, and federal agency program managers. Sessions were organized to foster interactions between the beam users and facility developers, allowing for information sharing and mutual feedback between the two groups. The workshop findings and recommendations are summarized in this whitepaper.

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arXiv2020

Response of a Li-glass/multi-anode photomultiplier detector to collimated thermal-neutron beams

The response of a position-sensitive Li-glass scintillator detector being developed for thermal-neutron detection with 6 mm position resolution has been investigated using collimated beams of thermal neutrons. The detector was moved perpendicularly through the neutron beams in 0.5 to 1.0 mm horizontal and vertical steps. Scintillation was detected in an 8 X 8 pixel multi-anode photomultiplier tube on an event-by-event basis. In general, several pixels registered large signals at each neutron-beam location. The number of pixels registering signal above a set threshold was investigated, with the maximization of the single-hit efficiency over the largest possible area of the detector as the primary goal. At a threshold of ~50% of the mean of the full-deposition peak, ~80% of the events were registered in a single pixel, resulting in an effective position resolution of ~5 mm in X and Y. Lower thresholds generally resulted in events demonstrating higher pixel multiplicities, but these events could also be localized with ~5 mm position resolution.

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arXiv2020

Spin polarizabilities of the proton by measurement of Compton double-polarization observables

The Compton double-polarization observable $Σ_{2z}$ has been measured for the first time in the $Δ(1232)$ resonance region using a circularly polarized photon beam incident on a longitudinally polarized target at the Mainz Microtron. This paper reports these results, together with the model-dependent extraction of four proton spin polarizabilities from fits to additional asymmetry data using dispersion relation and chiral perturbation theory calculations, with the former resulting in: $γ_{E1E1} = -3.18 \pm 0.52$, $γ_{M1M1} = 2.98 \pm 0.43$, $γ_{E1M2} = -0.44 \pm 0.67$ and $γ_{M1E2} = 1.58 \pm 0.43$, in units of $10^{-4}~\mathrm{fm}^{4}$.

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arXiv2020

Helicity-dependent cross sections for the photoproduction of $π^0$ pairs from nucleons

The double-polarization observable $E$ and helicity-dependent cross sections $σ_{1/2}$, $σ_{3/2}$ have been measured for the photoproduction of $π^0$ pairs off quasi-free protons and neutrons at the Mainz MAMI accelerator with the Crystal Ball/TAPS setup. A circularly polarized photon beam was produced by bremsstrahlung from longitudinally polarized electrons and impinged on a longitudinally polarized deuterated butanol target. The reaction products were detected with an almost $4π$ covering calorimeter. The results reveal for the first time the helicity- and isospin-dependent structure of the $γN\rightarrow Nπ^0π^0$ reaction. They are compared to predictions from reaction models in view of nucleon resonance contributions and also to a refit of one model that predicted results for the proton and for the neutron target. The comparison of the prediction and the refit demonstrate the large impact of the new data.

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arXiv2020

Response of a Li-glass/multi-anode photomultiplier detector to focused proton and deuteron beams

The response of a position-sensitive Li-glass based scintillation detector to focused beams of 2.5 MeV protons and deuterons has been investigated. The beams were scanned across the detector in 0.5 mm horizontal and vertical steps perpendicular to the beams. Scintillation light was registered using an 8 by 8 pixel multi-anode photomultiplier tube. The signal amplitudes were recorded for each pixel on an event-by-event basis. Several pixels generally registered considerable signals at each beam location. The number of pixels above set thresholds were investigated, with the optimization of the single-hit efficiency over the largest possible area as the goal. For both beams, at a threshold of ~50% of the mean of the full-deposition peak, ~80% of the events were registered in a single pixel, resulting in an effective position resolution of ~5 mm in X and Y.

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arXiv2020

Measurement of the beam-helicity asymmetry in photoproduction of $π^{0}η$ pairs on carbon, aluminum, and lead

The beam-helicity asymmetry was measured, for the first time, in photoproduction of $π^{0}η$ 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 $π^{0}η$ pairs on nuclei is similar to photoproduction on a free nucleon. This process is dominated by the $D_{33}$ partial wave with the $ηΔ(1232)$ intermediate state.

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arXiv2019

Near-threshold $π^-$ photoproduction on the deuteron

The first experimental investigation of the near-threshold cross section for incoherent $π^-$ photoproduction on the deuteron $γ$ d -> $π^-$ pp is presented. The experimental technique involved detection of the ~131 MeV gamma ray resulting from the radiative capture of photoproduced $π^-$ in the target. The total cross section has been measured using an unpolarized tagged-photon beam, a liquid-deuterium target, and three very large NaI(Tl) spectrometers. The data are compared to theoretical models that give insight into the elementary reaction $γ$ n -> $π^-$ p and pion-nucleon and nucleon-nucleon final-state interactions.

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arXiv2019

Signatures of the $d^*(2380)$ hexaquark in d($γ$,$p\vec{n}$)

We report a measurement of the spin polarisation of the recoiling neutron in deuterium photodisintegration, utilising a new large acceptance polarimeter within the Crystal Ball at MAMI. The measured photon energy range of 300~--~700~MeV provides the first measurement of recoil neutron polarisation at photon energies where the quark substructure of the deuteron plays a role, thereby providing important new constraints on photodisintegration mechanisms. A very high neutron polarisation in a narrow structure centred around $E_γ\sim$~570~MeV is observed, which is inconsistent with current theoretical predictions employing nucleon resonance degrees of freedom. A Legendre polynomial decomposition suggests this behaviour could be related to the excitation of the $d^*(2380)$ hexaquark.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of neutron and proton analyzing powers on $C$, $CH$, $CH_2$ and $Cu$ targets in the momentum region 3-4.2 GeV/c

The analyzing powers for proton elastic scattering ($\vec p A\to pX$) and neutron charge exchange ($\vec n A\to p X$) reactions on nuclei have been measured on $ C$, $CH$, $CH_2$ and $Cu$ targets at incident neutron momenta 3.0 - 4.2 GeV/c by detecting one charged particle in forward direction. The polarized neutron measurements are the first of their kind. The experiment was performed using the Nuclotron accelerator in JINR Dubna, where polarized neutrons and protons were obtained from breakup of a polarized deuteron beam which has a maximum momentum of 13 GeV/c. The polarimeter ALPOM2 was used to obtain the analyzing power dependence on the transverse momentum of the final-state nucleon. These data have been used to estimate the figure of merit of a proposed experiment at Jefferson Laboratory to measure the recoiling neutron polarization in the quasi-elastic $^2H(\vec e,e'\vec n)$ reaction, which yields information on the charge and magnetic elastic form factors of the neutron.

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arXiv2019

Cross Section for $γn \to π^0 n$ measured at Mainz/A2

The $γn \to π^0 n$ differential cross section evaluated for 27 energy bins span the photon-energy range 290-813 MeV (W = 1.195-1.553 GeV) and the pion c.m. polar production angles, ranging from 18 deg to 162 deg, making use of model-dependent nuclear corrections to extract pi0 production data on the neutron from measurements on the deuteron target. Additionally, the total photoabsorption cross section was measured. The tagged photon beam produced by the 883-MeV electron beam of the Mainz Microtron MAMI was used for the 0-meson production. Our accumulation of 3.6 x 10^6 $γn \to π^0 n$ events allowed a detailed study of the reaction dynamics. Our data are in reasonable agreement with previous A2 measurements and extend them to lower energies. The data are compared to predictions of previous SAID, MAID, and BnGa partial-wave analyses and to the latest SAID fit MA19 that included our data. Selected photon decay amplitudes $N^* \to γn$ at the resonance poles are determined for the first time.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of the single-spin asymmetry $A_y^0$ in quasi-elastic $^3$He$^\uparrow$($e,e'n$) scattering at $0.4 < Q^2 < 1.0$ GeV$/c^2$

Due to the lack of free neutron targets, studies of the structure of the neutron are typically made by scattering electrons from either $^2$H or $^3$He targets. In order to extract useful neutron information from a $^3$He target, one must understand how the neutron in a $^3$He system differs from a free neutron by taking into account nuclear effects such as final state interactions and meson exchange currents. The target single spin asymmetry $A_y^0$ is an ideal probe of such effects, as any deviation from zero indicates effects beyond plane wave impulse approximation. New measurements of the target single spin asymmetry $A_y^0$ at $Q^2$ of 0.46 and 0.96 (GeV/$c)^2$ were made at Jefferson Lab using the quasi-elastic $^3\mathrm{He}^{\uparrow}(e,e'n)$ reaction. Our measured asymmetry decreases rapidly, from $>20\%$ at $Q^2=0.46$ (GeV/$c)^2$ to nearly zero at $Q^2=0.96$ (GeV$/c)^2$, demonstrating the fall-off of the reaction mechanism effects as $Q^2$ increases. We also observed a small $ε$-dependent increase in $A_y^0$ compared to previous measurements, particularly at moderate $Q^2$. This indicates that upcoming high $Q^2$ measurements from the Jefferson Lab 12 GeV program can cleanly probe neutron structure from polarized $^3$He using plane wave impulse approximation.

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arXiv2019

Decay pion spectroscopy: a new approach

We propose a new experiment for decay pion spectroscopy of light hypernuclei at electron- and proton-beam facilities, using the recoil distance technique for separation of produced hypernuclei and a magnetic spectrometer for precise measurement of the decay pion momentum. Low-pressure MWPCs are advocated for low-energy recoil detection as they provide position and time information and are highly insensitive to gamma-ray and electron background. The position and timing characteristics of such a recoil detector were studied using ~5 MeV α-particles. By using the present proposed approach the rate of the detected hypernuclei can be increased by one-to-two orders of magnitude compared to a recent experiment carried out at the MAMI electron accelerator in Mainz. The possibility of realizing a high luminosity decay pion spectroscopy experiment with proton beams is also discussed.

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arXiv2018

Response of a Li-glass/multi-anode photomultiplier detector to $α$-particles from $^{241}$Am

The response of a position-sensitive Li-glass scintillator detector to $α$-particles from a collimated $^{241}$Am source scanned across the face of the detector has been measured. Scintillation light was read out by an 8 X 8 pixel multi-anode photomultiplier and the signal amplitude for each pixel has been recorded for every position on a scan. The pixel signal is strongly dependent on position and in general several pixels will register a signal (a hit) above a given threshold. The effect of this threshold on hit multiplicity is studied, with a view to optimize the single-hit efficiency of the detector.

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arXiv2018

Deuteron photodisintegration by polarized photons in the region of the $d^*(2380)$

We report the first large-acceptance measurement of the beam-spin asymmetry for deuteron photodisintegration ($\vecγ d\to pn$) in the photon energy range $400<E_γ<630$~MeV. The measurement provides important new constraints on the mechanisms of photodisintegration above the delta resonance and on the photocoupling of the recently discovered $d^*(2380)$ hexaquark.

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arXiv2018

Experimental study of the $γp\rightarrow K^0Σ^+$, $γn\rightarrow K^0Λ$, and $γn\rightarrow K^0 Σ^0$ reactions at the Mainz Microtron

This work measured $dσ/dΩ$ for neutral kaon photoproduction reactions from threshold up to a c.m.\ energy of 1855MeV, focussing specifically on the $γp\rightarrow K^0Σ^+$, $γn\rightarrow K^0Λ$, and $γn\rightarrow K^0 Σ^0$ reactions. Our results for $γn\rightarrow K^0 Σ^0$ are the first-ever measurements for that reaction. These data will provide insight into the properties of $N^*$ resonances and, in particular, will lead to an improved knowledge about those states that couple only weakly to the $πN$ channel. Integrated cross sections were extracted by fitting the differential cross sections for each reaction as a series of Legendre polynomials and our results are compared with prior experimental results and theoretical predictions.

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arXiv2018

First measurement of helicity-dependent cross sections in pi0-eta photoproduction from quasi-free nucleons

The helicity-dependent cross sections for the photoproduction of $π^0η$ pairs have been measured for the first time. The experiment was performed at the tagged photon facility of the Mainz MAMI accelerator with the combined Crystal Ball - TAPS calorimeter. The experiment used a polarized deuterated butanol target and a circularly polarized photon beam. This arrangement allowed the $σ_{1/2}$ (photon and target spin antiparallel) and $σ_{3/2}$ (parallel spins) components to be measured for quasi-free production of $π^0η$ pairs off protons and neutrons. The main finding is that the two helicity components contribute identically, within uncertainties, for both participant protons and neutrons. The absolute couplings for protons and neutrons are also identical. This means that nucleon resonances contributing to this reaction in the investigated energy range have almost equal electromagnetic helicity couplings, $A_{1/2}^{n,p}$ and $A_{3/2}^{n,p}$. Identical couplings for protons and neutrons are typical for $Δ$ resonances and identical $A_{1/2}$ and $A_{3/2}$ components are only possible for $J\geq 3/2$ states, which constrains possible contributions of nucleon resonances.

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