arXiv subjects

J. S. Alvarado

Publications and source records attributed to J. S. Alvarado.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Measurements of $γ_v p \to π^+ π^-p'$ Cross Sections with the CLAS12 Detector for $Q^2$ from 2.4-8.0 GeV$^2$ and $W$ from 1.4-2.1 GeV

This paper reports exclusive cross sections for the $ep \to e'π^+π^-p'$ reaction using the CLAS12 detector at Jefferson Laboratory. The extractions of fully integrated and nine single-differential cross sections are presented for the first time for photon virtualities $Q^2$ from 2.4 to 8.0 GeV$^2$ and center-of-mass energies $W$ from 1.4 to 2.1 GeV, which covers a large part of the nucleon resonance region. These data considerably extend the kinematic reach of previous measurements from CLAS that covered $Q^2$ up to 5.0 GeV$^2$. Exclusive $γ_v p \to π^+ π^-p'$ cross section measurements are of particular importance for the extraction of $γ_vpN^*$ resonance electrocouplings across the $N^*$ spectrum, especially in the mass range above 1.6 GeV where several resonances decay preferentially to the $ππN$ final states. The electrocouplings with extended $Q^2$ coverage expected from these new data will enable an improved understanding of the emergence of $N^*$ mass and structure in the transition from the strongly coupled toward the perturbative QCD regime.

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arXiv2026

Measurements of $γ_v p \to π^+ π^- p'$ Cross Sections with the CLAS Detector for $Q^{2}$ from 2.0--5.0~GeV$^{2}$ and $W$ from 1.400--2.125~GeV

Observables in the electroproduction of the $π^+π^-p$ reaction channel off the proton that are sensitive to the polarization of the virtual photon are presented for the first time in addition to the extraction of the nine single-differential and fully integrated cross sections within the kinematics area of 2.0~GeV$^2 < Q^2 < 5.0$~GeV$^2$ and 1.400~GeV $< W < 2.125$~GeV measured with the CLAS detector in Hall B at Jefferson Lab. The extraction of the unpolarized cross sections has been considerably improved in comparison with previously published results from this same dataset, offering finer binning over the five-dimensional hadronic reaction phase space, and including essential advances in the acceptance evaluation by implementing a new technique to stabilize the cross section extraction and minimize the systematic uncertainty associated with the simulation statistics. These improvements are of particular importance for the extraction of the $γ_v p N^*$ electrocouplings from these data.

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arXiv2026

First Measurement of Near-Threshold J/ψ Photoproduction on the Neutron

We report the first measurement of the total and t-differential cross sections for near-threshold J/$ψ$ photoproduction on the neutron, obtained with the CLAS12 detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The measurements, performed using a liquid-deuterium target, also provide the incoherent total and t-differential cross sections on the bound proton, enabling the first direct comparison of near-threshold J/$ψ$ photoproduction on bound protons and neutrons. Interpreted within Vector Meson Dominance, holographic QCD, and GPD-based frameworks, the data allow for the investigation of the gluonic structure of bound nucleons. A comparison with free proton results reveals hints of modifications to the gluon structure of nucleons in the nuclear medium, within the assumptions of the extraction and on the underlying production mechanism. The comparison of bound neutron and bound proton cross sections provides new constraints on the near-threshold J/$ψ$ production mechanism, which is crucial in order to establish J/$ψ$ photoproduction as a probe of the nucleon's gluonic structure.

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arXiv2026

Multi-Differential DVCS Cross Section Measurement on the Proton in the Valence Region with CLAS12

We report the measurement of the four-fold differential cross section of deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) on the proton using a longitudinally polarized 10.6 GeV CEBAF electron beam incident on a liquid-hydrogen target with the CLAS12 detector. The analysis provides 1312 data points, expanding the measured phase space in the valence quark region, 0.06 < $x_B$ < 0.58, 1.00 < $Q^2$ < 5.76 GeV$^2$, and 0.11 < $|t|$ < 1.00 GeV$^2$. DVCS cross section measurements directly constrain the real part of the DVCS amplitude through its interference with the Bethe-Heitler process, making them essential inputs to global extractions of the Compton Form Factors (CFFs), particularly the dominant CFF $H$. These data improve sensitivity to these observables and can contribute to future determinations of the proton's internal mechanical structure.

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arXiv2026

Three-dimensional imaging of hadrons with hard exclusive reactions: advances in experiment, theory, phenomenology, and lattice QCD

Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) have emerged as a powerful framework for exploring the internal structure of hadrons in terms of their partonic constituents. Over the past three decades, the field has witnessed significant theoretical and experimental advancements. The interpretation of GPDs in impact parameter space offers a vivid three-dimensional visualization of hadron structure, correlating longitudinal momentum and transverse spatial distributions, thereby enabling tomographic imaging of hadrons. Furthermore, the link between GPDs and the matrix elements of the QCD energy-momentum tensor provides access to fundamental properties of hadrons, including spin decomposition and internal pressure distributions. Notably, recent analyses of Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) data have enabled the empirical extraction of the quark pressure profile inside the proton. Motivated by the rapidly evolving experimental landscape, this white paper provides a timely and focused overview of recent developments in GPD theory, phenomenology, and lattice QCD studies. Its scope is shaped by the needs and opportunities of forthcoming experimental programs, and it highlights advances that are particularly relevant for the next generation of dedicated measurements, including the extended Jefferson Lab 12 GeV program and its potential 22 GeV upgrade, J-PARC, COMPASS/AMBER, LHC ultra-peripheral collisions, and the future electron-ion colliders EIC and EicC.

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arXiv2026

Measurement of the near-threshold J$/ψ$ photoproduction cross section with the CLAS12 experiment

We present measurements of the total and differential cross sections for near-threshold J/$ψ$ photoproduction obtained with the CLAS12 detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The results are based on data collected during the Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 running periods, using electron beams with energies of 10.6 and 10.2 GeV, respectively, scattered off a liquid-hydrogen target. Near-threshold J$/ψ$ photoproduction offers a unique sensitivity to the strong interaction in the non-perturbative regime of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). The energy dependence of the cross section constrains the underlying J$/ψ$ production mechanisms, including multi-gluon exchange and potential baryonic excitations. Additionally, the $t$-dependence of the differential cross section can be related to the transverse spatial distribution of gluons in the proton, providing critical input for theoretical descriptions of the gluonic structure of the proton. An interpretation of the results in terms of the gluon content of the proton is presented, providing new experimental constraints on QCD-inspired models of the proton structure and the role of gluonic degrees of freedom in hadronic mass generation.

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arXiv2026

Electro- and photoproduction of muon pairs with $μ$CLAS12: Double Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering, Timelike Compton Scattering, and $J/ψ$ production

The CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer for operation at 12 GeV (CLAS12) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has played a central role in advancing the understanding of nucleon and nuclear structure. As increasingly precise data become available, new physics opportunities emerge that extend beyond the current capabilities of CLAS12. In this article, a program to explore the quark and gluon structure of the nucleon through di-muon electro- and photoproduction is presented. Its primary focus is the measurement of beam-spin asymmetries in Double Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering, $ep \rightarrow e^\prime μ^+ μ^-p^\prime $. By independently varying the incoming and outgoing photon virtualities and momentum transfer, the DDVCS measurement provides access to the Generalized Parton Distributions over their full three-dimensional phase space, extending beyond the kinematic constraints of Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering and Timelike Compton Scattering. In addition, the large acceptance and high luminosity of the $μ$CLAS12 experiment will enable precision measurements of near-threshold $J/ψ$ production and high-statistics studies of Timelike Compton Scattering.

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arXiv2026

Measurements of Beam Spin Asymmetries of $π^\pmπ^0$ dihadrons at CLAS12

A first measurement of beam spin asymmetries for $π^+π^0$ and $π^-π^0$ pairs in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering is reported. The asymmetries in the dihadron angular distributions were measured from the scattering of a 10.6 GeV longitudinally polarized electron beam off a proton target, using the CLAS12 detector at Jefferson Lab. A photon classifier using a Gradient Boosted Trees (GBTs) architecture was trained with Monte Carlo simulations to reduce the amount of false combinatorial background $π^0$s, increasing statistics by up to five-fold compared to previous CLAS12 $π^0$ analyses. A nonzero $\sinϕ_{R_\perp}$ asymmetry is observed. This measurement is sensitive to the underexplored collinear twist-3 PDF $e(x)$, which encodes quark-gluon correlations in the proton, and presents a new avenue for its point-by-point extraction. The asymmetries also provide the first experimental evidence for the isospin-dependence of the helicity-dependent dihadron fragmentation function $G_1^\perp$, revealed by a sign-difference between the $π^+π^0$ and $π^-π^0$ channels in the $\sin(ϕ_h-ϕ_{R_\perp})$ modulation. In contrast, a large, same-sign enhancement near the $ρ$ mass for the $\sin(2ϕ_h-2ϕ_{R_\perp})$ modulation is observed, matching spectator model predictions in $π^+π^-$ pairs.

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arXiv2026

First Study of the Nuclear Response to Fast Hadrons via Angular Correlations between Pions and Slow Protons in Electron-Nucleus Scattering

We report on the first measurement of angular correlations between high-energy pions and slow protons in electron-nucleus ($eA$) scattering, providing a new probe of how a nucleus responds to a fast-moving quark. The experiment employed the CLAS detector with a 5-GeV electron beam incident on deuterium, carbon, iron, and lead targets. For heavier nuclei, the pion-proton correlation function is more spread-out in azimuth than for lighter ones, and this effect is more pronounced in the $πp$ channel than in earlier $ππ$ studies. The proton-to-pion yield ratio likewise rises with nuclear mass, although the increase appears to saturate for the heaviest targets. These trends are qualitatively reproduced by state-of-the-art $eA$ event generators, including BeAGLE, eHIJING, and GiBUU, indicating that current descriptions of target fragmentation rest on sound theoretical footing. At the same time, the precision of our data exposes model-dependent discrepancies, delineating a clear path for future improvements in the treatment of cold-nuclear matter effects in $eA$ scattering.

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arXiv2026

Measurement of the nucleon spin structure functions for 0.01<$Q^2$<1 GeV$^2$ using CLAS

The spin structure functions of the proton and the deuteron were measured during the EG4 experiment at Jefferson Lab in 2006. Data were collected for longitudinally polarized electron scattering off longitudinally polarized NH$_3$ and ND$_3$ targets, for $Q^2$ values as small as 0.012 and 0.02 GeV$^2$, respectively, using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS). This is the archival paper of the EG4 experiment that summaries the previously reported results of the polarized structure functions $g_1$, $A_1F_1$, and their moments $\overline Γ_1$, $\overline γ_0$, and $\overline I_{TT}$, for both the proton and the deuteron. In addition, we report on new results on the neutron $g_1$ extracted by combining proton and deuteron data and correcting for Fermi smearing, and on the neutron moments $\overline Γ_1$, $\overline γ_0$, and $\overline I_{TT}$ formed directly from those of the proton and the deuteron. Our data are in good agreement with the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule for the proton, deuteron, and neutron. Furthermore, the isovector combination was formed for $g_1$ and the Bjorken integral $\overline Γ_1^{p-n}$, and compared to available theoretical predictions. All of our results provide for the first time extensive tests of spin observable predictions from chiral effective field theory ($χ$EFT) in a $Q^2$ range commensurate with the pion mass. They motivate further improvement in $χ$EFT calculations from other approaches such as the lattice gauge method.

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arXiv2025

Multidimensional Measurements of Beam Single Spin Asymmetries in Semi-inclusive Deep-inelastic Charged Kaon Electroproduction off Protons in the Valence Region

Measurements of beam single spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep inelastic electron scattering (SIDIS) with positively charged kaons off protons have been performed with 10.6 and 10.2 GeV incident electron beams using the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. We report an analysis of the electroproduction of positively charged kaons over a large kinematic range of fractional energy, Bjorken $x$, transverse momentum, and photon virtualities $Q^2$ ranging from 1 GeV$^2$ up to 6 GeV$^2$. This is the first published multi-dimensionally binned CLAS12 measurement of a kaon SIDIS single spin asymmetry in the valence quark regime. The data provide constraints on the structure function ratio $F_{LU}^{\sinϕ}/F_{UU}$, where $F_{LU}^{\sinϕ}$ is a quantity with a leading twist of twist-3 that can reveal novel aspects of the quark-gluon correlations within the nucleon. The impact of the data on understanding the underlying reaction mechanisms and their kinematic variation is explored using theoretical models for the different contributing twist-3 parton distribution functions (PDFs) and fragmentation functions (FFs).

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arXiv2025

Measurement of beam-polarized Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering observables with the CLAS12 detector at Jefferson Lab

In the context of nucleon structure studies, Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) are crucial for understanding the correlation between the longitudinal momentum and the transverse position of partons inside the nucleon. A privileged channel for GPD studies is the Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) process, whose experimental observables can provide access to GPDs through spin-dependent asymmetries. Although detecting all final state particles is preferred for selecting DVCS events, DVCS identification can be ensured by requiring the detection of only two final state particles, as the missing particle can be reconstructed from conservation laws. In this work, we present preliminary Beam Spin Asymmetry and cross-section measurements of proton-DVCS in the $eγ$ topology from experimental data taken by the CLAS12 detector at Jefferson Lab. Moreover, we show that relying on $eγ$ detection and Machine Learning techniques boosts statistics and gives access to a wider phase space than the proton-detected topology, providing the first time CLAS12 measurement of this observable in the $-t$ range below $0.1$ GeV$^{2}$.

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arXiv2025

Double Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering as a probe of Generalized Parton Distributions

Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) are multidimensional structure functions of hadrons, encoding mechanical and spin properties through the correlation of the momentum and transverse position of partons. While channels like Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) access GPDs in a constrained kinematic domain, Double Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DDVCS) offers broader access to the GPD phase space, though it remains unmeasured. We present a feasibility study of DDVCS observables using polarized electron beams at Jefferson Lab and the EIC, focusing on their sensitivity to helicity-conserving GPDs and implications for Compton Form Factor (CFF) extraction. Moreover, we provide experimental projections supporting the feasibility of the measurements at both facilities.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Measurement of Beam-Recoil Observables $C_x$ and $C_z$ for $K^+Λ$ Photoproduction

Exclusive photoproduction of $K^+ Λ$ final states off a proton target has been an important component in the search for missing nucleon resonances and our understanding of the production of final states containing strange quarks. Polarization observables have been instrumental in this effort. The current work is an extension of previously published CLAS results on the beam-recoil transferred polarization observables $C_x$ and $C_z$. We extend the kinematic range up to invariant mass $W=3.33$~GeV from the previous limit of $W=2.5$~GeV with significantly improved statistical precision in the region of overlap. These data will provide for tighter constraints on the reaction models used to unravel the spectrum of nucleon resonances and their properties by not only improving the statistical precision of the data within the resonance region, but also by constraining $t$-channel processes that dominate at higher $W$ but extend into the resonance region.

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arXiv2025

Proton Transparency and Neutrino Physics: New Methods and Modeling

Extracting accurate results from neutrino oscillation and cross section experiments requires accurate simulation of the neutrino-nucleus interaction. The rescattering of outgoing hadrons (final state interactions) by the rest of the nucleus is an important component of these interactions. We present a new measurement of proton transparency (defined as the fraction of outgoing protons that emerge without significant rescattering) using electron-nucleus scattering data recorded by the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory on helium, carbon, and iron targets. This analysis by the Electrons for Neutrinos ($e4ν$) collaboration uses a new data-driven method to extract the transparency. It defines transparency as the ratio of electron-scattering events with a detected proton to quasi-elastic electron-scattering events where a proton should have been knocked out. Our results are consistent with previous measurements that determined the transparency from the ratio of measured events to theoretically predicted events. We find that the GENIE event generator, which is widely used by oscillation experiments to simulate neutrino-nucleus interactions, needs to better describe both the nuclear ground state and proton rescattering in order to reproduce our measured transparency ratios, especially at lower proton momenta.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

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

Hyperon recoil polarization measurements for the exclusive electroproduction of $K^+Λ$ and $K^+Σ^0$ final states from an unpolarized proton target have been carried out 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 mass $W$ from 1.6 to 2.4~GeV, while covering the full center-of-mass angular range of the $K^+$. These new $Λ$ polarization observables extend the existing data in a similar kinematic range but from a significantly larger dataset. However, they represent the first electroproduction measurements of this observable for the $Σ^0$. These data will allow for better exploration of the reaction mechanism in strangeness production, for further understanding of the spectrum and structure of excited nucleon states that couple to $KY$, and for improved insight into the strong interaction in the non-perturbative domain.

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arXiv2025

Measurement of single- and double-polarization observables in the photoproduction of $π^+π^-$~meson pairs off the proton using CLAS at Jefferson Laboratory

The photoproduction of $π^+π^-$ meson pairs off the proton has been studied in the reaction $γp\to p\,π^+π^-$ 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 beam and target asymmetries, $I^{s,c}$ and $P_{x,y}$, have been measured along with the beam-target double-polarization observables, $P^{s,c}_{x,y}$, using a transversely polarized target with center-of-mass energies ranging from 1.51 GeV up to 2.04 GeV. These data and additional $ππ$ photoproduction observables from CLAS and experiments elsewhere were included in a partial-wave analysis within the Bonn-Gatchina framework. Significant contributions from $s$-channel resonance production are observed in addition to $t$-channel exchange processes. The data indicate significant contributions from $N^\ast$ and $Δ^\ast$ resonances in the third and fourth resonance regions.

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arXiv2025

Constraints from muon $g-2$ on a gauged non-universal $U(1)_{X}$ model with inverse see-saw neutrinos

We study the effects on a non-universal $U(1)_{X}$ extension of the Standard Model given the alternative value obtained by the Budapest-Marseille-Wuppertal (BMW) group for the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon $g-2$. The model explains the fermion mass hierarchy through the non-universality of the extra gauge symmetry and by an additional $\mathbb{Z}_{2}$ discrete symmetry, where the heaviest fermions acquire their masses from two different scales determined by two Higgs doublets and one singlet, whereas the lightest fermions obtain their masses from radiative corrections. From cancellation of chiral anomalies, the model also includes heavy extra fermions, both charged and neutral. The latter are right-handed neutrinos that acquire masses via an inverse see-saw mechanism, reproducing the observed squared mass differences for the active neutrinos. Using the latest lattice calculation of the leading hadronic vacuum polarization (HVP) contribution to the muon $g-2$, we compute the dominant one-loop diagrams mediated by the $W$ and charged Higgs bosons, both with a heavy Majorana neutrino in the loop, setting bounds for masses of the new particles. We also provide predictions for observables that can probe our model in the future such as charged lepton flavor violating searches at Belle II like $τ\to μγ$, $τ\to eγ$ and at MEG II for $μ\to eγ$.

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