arXiv subjects

M. Pfeiffer

Publications and source records attributed to M. Pfeiffer.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Measurement of the Beam Asymmetry $Σ$ in the Forward Direction for pi0 Photoproduction

Photoproduction of neutral pions has been studied with the CBELSA/TAPS detector for photon energies between 0.92 and 1.68~GeV at the electron accelerator ELSA. The beam asymmetry~$Σ$ has been extracted for $115^\circ < θ_{\rm c.m.} < 155^\circ$ of the $π^0$~meson and for $θ_{\rm c.m.} < 60^\circ$. The new beam asymmetry data improve the world database for photon energies above 1.5~GeV and, by covering the very forward region, extend previously published data for the same reaction by our collaboration. The angular dependence of $Σ$ shows overall good agreement with the SAID parameterization.

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arXiv2010

Photoproduction of meson pairs: First measurement of the polarization observable I^s

The polarization observable I^s, a feature exclusive to the acoplanar kinematics of multi-meson final states produced via linearly polarized photons, has been measured for the first time. Results for the reaction g p -> p pi0 eta are presented for incoming photon energies between 970 MeV and 1650 MeV along with the beam asymmetry I^c. The comparably large asymmetries demonstrate a high sensitivity of I^s to the dynamics of the reaction. Fits using Bonn-Gatchina partial wave analysis demonstrate that the new polarization observables carry significant information on the contributing partial waves.

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arXiv2009

Photoproduction of $η$ and $η\prime$ Mesons off Protons

Total and differential cross sections for $η$ and $η^\prime$ photoproduction off the proton have been determined with the CBELSA/TAPS detector for photon energies between 0.85 and 2.55 GeV. The $η$ mesons are detected in their two neutral decay modes, $η\toγγ$ and $η\to 3π^0\to 6γ$, and for the first time, cover the full angular range in $\rm cos θ_{cm}$ of the $η$ meson. These new $η$ photoproduction data are consistent with the earlier CB-ELSA results. The $η^\prime$ mesons are observed in their neutral decay to $π^0π^0η\to 6γ$ and also extend the coverage in angular range.

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arXiv2008

Photoproduction of eta-mesons off nuclei for Eg < 2.2 GeV

Photoproduction of $η$ mesons off $^{12}$C, $^{40}$Ca, $^{93}$Nb, and $^{nat}$Pb nuclei has been measured with a tagged photon beam with energies between 0.6 and 2.2 GeV. The experiment was performed at the Bonn ELSA accelerator with the combined setup of the Crystal Barrel and TAPS calorimeters. It aimed at the in-medium properties of the S$_{11}$(1535) nucleon resonance and the study of the absorption properties of nuclear matter for $η$ mesons. Careful consideration was given to contributions from $ηπ$ final states and secondary production mechanisms of $η$-mesons e.g. from inelastic $πN$ reactions of intermediate pions. The analysis of the mass number scaling shows that the nuclear absorption cross section $σ_{Nη}$ for $η$ mesons is constant over a wide range of the $η$ momentum. The comparison of the excitation functions to data off the deuteron and to calculations in the framework of a BUU-model show no unexplained in-medium modifications of the S$_{11}$(1535).

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arXiv2008

Linearly polarised photon beams at ELSA and measurement of the beam asymmetry in pi^0-photoproduction off the proton

At the electron accelerator ELSA a linearly polarised tagged photon beam is produced by coherent bremsstrahlung off a diamond crystal. Orientation and energy range of the linear polarisation can be deliberately chosen by accurate positioning of the crystal with a goniometer. The degree of polarisation is determined by the form of the scattered electron spectrum. Good agreement between experiment and expectations on basis of the experimental conditions is obtained. Polarisation degrees of P = 40% are typically achieved at half of the primary electron energy. The determination of P is confirmed by measuring the beam asymmetry, Σ, in pi^0 photoproduction and a comparison of the results to independent measurements using laser backscattering.

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arXiv2008

Quasi-free photoproduction of eta-mesons of the neutron

Quasi-free photoproduction of eta-mesons off nucleons bound in the deuteron has been measured with the CBELSA/TAPS detector for incident photon energies up to 2.5 GeV at the Bonn ELSA accelerator. The eta-mesons have been detected in coincidence with recoil protons and recoil neutrons, which allows a detailed comparison of the quasi-free n(gamma,eta)n and p(gamma,eta)p reactions. The excitation function for eta-production off the neutron shows a pronounced bump-like structure at W=1.68 GeV (E_g ~ 1 GeV), which is absent for the proton.

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arXiv2008

Modification of the $ω$-Meson Lifetime in Nuclear Matter

The photo production of $ω$ mesons on the nuclei C, Ca, Nb and Pb has been measured using the Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector at the ELSA tagged photon facility in Bonn. The dependence of the $ω$ meson cross section on the nuclear mass number has been compared with three different types of models, a Glauber analysis, a BUU analysis of the Giessen theory group and a calculation by the Valencia theory group. In all three cases, the inelastic $ω$ width is found to be $130-150 \rm{MeV/c^2}$ at normal nuclear matter density for an average 3-momentum of 1.1 GeV/c. In the restframe of the $ω$ meson, this inelastic $ω$ width corresponds to a reduction of the $ω$ lifetime by a factor $\approx 30$. For the first time, the momentum dependent $ω$N cross section has been extracted from the experiment and is in the range of 70 mb.

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arXiv2007

Double pion photoproduction off 40Ca

The photoproduction of pi0pi0 and pi0pi+/- pairs off 40Ca has been investigated with the TAPS detector using the Glasgow photon tagging spectrometer at the Mainz MAMI accelerator. Data have been taken for incident photon energies in the energy range from 200 - 820 MeV. Total cross sections have been extracted from threshold up to the maximum photon energy and invariant mass distributions of the pion pairs have been obtained for incident photon energies between 400 - 500 MeV and 500 - 550 MeV. The double pi0 invariant mass distributions show some relative enhancement with respect to the mixed charge channel at small invariant masses. The effects are smaller than previously observed for lead nuclei and the distributions do not significantly deviate from carbon data. The data are in good agreement with the results of recent calculations in the framework of the BUU model, with careful treatment of final state interaction effects but without an explicit in-medium modification of scalar, iso-scalar pion pairs. This means that for Ca most of the experimentally observed effect can be explained by final state interactions. Only at low incident photon energies there is still a small low mass enhancement of the double pi0 data over the BUU results.

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arXiv2004

Measurement of the pi^+ meson polarizabilities via the gamma p->gamma pi^+ n reaction

An experiment on the radiative pi^+ meson photoproduction from the proton (gamma p->gamma pi^+ n) was carried out at the Mainz Microtron MAMI in the kinematic region 537 MeV <E_{gamma}<817 MeV, 140^o<theta_{gamma-gamma'}^cm<180^o. The pi^+ meson polarizabilities have been determined from a comparison of the data with the predictions of two different theoretical models, the first one being based on an effective pole model with pseudoscalar coupling while the second one is based on diagrams describing both resonant and nonresonant contributions. The validity of the models has been verified by comparing the predictions with the present experimental data in the kinematic region where the pion polarizability contribution is negligible (s_1<5 mu^2) and where the difference between the predictions of the two models does not exceed 3%. In the region, where the pion polarizability contribution is substantial (5<s_1/mu^2<15, -12<t/mu^2<-2), the difference (alpha-beta)_{pi^+} of the electric (alpha) and the magnetic (beta) polarizabilities has been determined. As a result we find: (alpha-beta)_{pi^+}=(11.6\pm 1.5_{stat}\pm 3.0_{syst}\pm 0.5_{mod})x10^-4fm^3. This result is at variance with recent calculations in the framework of chiral perturbation theory.

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arXiv2004

Photoproduction of eta-mesic 3He

The photoproduction of eta-mesic 3He has been investigated using the TAPS calorimeter at the Mainz Microtron accelerator facility MAMI. The total inclusive cross section for the reaction gamma+3He->eta+X has been measured for photon energies from threshold to 820 MeV. The total and angular differential coherent eta cross sections have been extracted up to energies of 745 MeV. A resonance-like structure just above the eta production threshold with an isotropic angular distribution suggests the existence of a resonant quasi-bound state. This is supported by studies of a competing decay channel of such a quasi-bound eta-mesic nucleus into pi^0+p+X. A binding energy of (-4.4+-4.2) MeV and a width of (25.6+-6.1) MeV is deduced for the quasi-bound eta-mesic state in 3He.

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arXiv2004

Photoproduction of pi0-mesons from nuclei

Photoproduction of neutral pions from nuclei (carbon, calcium, niobium, lead) has been studied for incident photon energies from 200 MeV to 800 MeV with the TAPS detector using the Glasgow photon tagging spectrometer at the Mainz MAMI accelerator. Data were obtained for the inclusive photoproduction of neutral pions and the partial channels of quasifree single pi0, double pi0, and pi0pi+/- photoproduction. They have been analyzed in terms of the in-medium behavior of nucleon resonances and the pion - nucleus interaction. They are compared to earlier measurements from the deuteron and to the predictions of a Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) transport model for photon induced pion production from nuclei.

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arXiv2003

Double $π^0$ Photoproduction off the Proton at Threshold

The reaction $γp \to π^0 π^0 p$ has been measured using the TAPS BaF$_2$ calorimeter at the tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron accelerator. Chiral perturbation theory (ChPT) predicts that close to threshold this channel is significantly enhanced compared to double pion final states with charged pions. In contrast to other reaction channels, the lower order tree terms are strongly suppressed in 2$π^0$ photoproduction. The consequence is the dominance of pion loops in the 2$π^0$ channel close to threshold - a result that opens new prospects for the test of ChPT and in particular its inherent loop terms. The present measurement is the first which is sensitive enough for a conclusive comparison with the ChPT calculation and is in agreement with its prediction. The data also show good agreement with a calculation in the unitary chiral approach.

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arXiv2002

The reaction $γp \to π^\circ γ^\prime p$ and the magnetic dipole moment of the $Δ^+(1232)$ resonance

The reaction $γp \to π^\circ γ^\prime p$ has been measured with the TAPS calorimeter at the Mainz Microtron accelerator facility MAMI for energies between $\sqrt{s}$ = 1221--1331 MeV. Cross sections differential in angle and energy have been determined for all particles in the final state in three bins of the excitation energy. This reaction channel provides access to the magnetic dipole moment of the $Δ^{+}(1232)$ resonance and, for the first time, a value of $μ_{Δ^+} = (2.7_{-1.3}^{+1.0}(stat.) \pm 1.5 (syst.) \pm 3(theo.)) μ_N$ has been extracted.

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arXiv2002

In-medium modifications of the $ππ$ interaction in photon-induced reactions

Differential cross sections of the reactions $(γ,π^\circπ^\circ)$ and $(γ,π^\circπ^++π^\circπ^-)$ have been measured for several nuclei ($^1$H,$^{12}$C, and $^{\rm nat}$Pb) at an incident-photon energy of $E_γ$=400-460 MeV at the tagged-photon facility at MAMI-B using the TAPS spectrometer. A significant nuclear-mass dependence of the $ππ$ invariant-mass distribution is found in the $π^\circπ^\circ$ channel. This dependence is not observed in the $π^\circπ^{+/-}$ channel and is consistent with an in-medium modification of the $ππ$ interaction in the $I$=$J$=0 channel. The data are compared to $π$-induced measurements and to calculations within a chiral-unitary approach.

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arXiv2000

Coronal lines and the warm X-ray absorber in Seyfert 1 Galaxies

The connection between the coronal lines and the warm absorber is examined systematically. In an earlier work it was found that the coronal line emitting plasma and the warm absorber gas share the same density and temperature. If there is a connection between the warm absorber gas and the forbidden high-ionization line (FHIL) plasma, one can use the profiles of coronal lines to derive the kinematics and dynamics of the warm absorber due to the high spectral resolution available in the optical range. Further support for a connection is a correlation between the equivalent width of [Fe X] 6375 and the ROSAT spectral index found for an optically selected sample. For X-ray selected objects with absorption edges observed by ASCA, we looked for a correlation between the coronal lines and the warm absorber gas. A direct correlation cannot be confirmed.

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