arXiv subjects

R. Miskimen

Publications and source records attributed to R. Miskimen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Measurement of the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn integrand for proton and deuteron from 200 to 1400 MeV

New data for the total inclusive helicity-dependent cross section for the proton and deuteron were obtained in the photon energy interval 200-1400 MeV. The experiment was performed at the A2 tagged-photon facility of the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) using a circularly polarized photon beam and longitudinally polarized proton and deuteron targets. The reaction products were detected using the large-acceptance Crystal Ball/TAPS calorimeter, which covers 97% of the full solid angle. These new results, obtained with fine energy binning, significantly expand both the quantity and the quality of the available data for these observables and enable a detailed comparison with state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. From the combination of the results for the deuteron and the proton, important information could also be extracted for the free neutron. Based on these data, and using existing models to evaluate the missing contributions from unmeasured photon energy regions, the validity of the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule has been verified for the proton, the neutron, and the deuteron. These new data provide a precise experimental benchmark for theoretical models used to study nucleons, both in their free state and when embedded in the nuclear medium.

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arXiv2025

New high-statistics measurement of the $\pi^0 \to e^+e^-\gamma$ Dalitz decay at the Mainz Microtron

The Dalitz decay $\pi^0 \to e^+e^-\gamma$ has been measured with the highest statistical accuracy obtained so far in the $\gamma p\to \pi^0 p$ reaction with the A2 tagged-photon facility at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. The value of the slope parameter for the $\pi^0$ electromagnetic transition form factor, $a_\pi=0.0315\pm 0.0026_{\mathrm{stat}}\pm 0.0010_{\mathrm{syst}}$, is obtained from the analysis of $2.4\times10^6$ $\pi^0 \to e^+e^-\gamma$ observed decays. Within experimental uncertainties, it is in agreement with existing measurements and theoretical calculations, with its own uncertainty being smaller than previous results based on the analysis of $\pi^0\to e^+e^-\gamma$ decays.

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arXiv2025

Baryon-antibaryon photoproduction cross sections off the proton

The GlueX experiment at Jefferson Lab has observed $p\bar{p}$ and, for the first time, $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ and $p\bar{\Lambda}$ photoproduction from a proton target at photon energies up to 11.6 GeV. The angular distributions are forward peaked for all produced pairs, consistent with Regge-like $t$-channel exchange. Asymmetric wide-angle anti-baryon distributions show the presence of additional processes. In a phenomenological model, we find consistency with a double $t$-channel exchange process where anti-baryons are created only at the middle vertex. The model matches all observed distributions with a small number of free parameters. In the hyperon channels, we observe a clear distinction between photoproduction of the $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}$ and $p\bar{\Lambda}$ systems but general similarity to the $p\bar{p}$ system. We report both total cross sections and cross sections differential with respect to momentum transfer and the invariant masses of the created particle pairs. No narrow resonant structures were found in these reaction channels. The suppression of $s\bar{s}$ quark pairs relative to $d\bar{d}$ quark pairs is similar to what has been seen in other reactions.

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arXiv2025

Measurement of the Total Compton Scattering Cross Section between 6.5 and 11 GeV

The total cross section for Compton scattering off atomic electrons, $\gamma+e\rightarrow\gamma'+e'$, was measured using photons with energies between 6.5 and 11.1 GeV incident on a $^9$Be target as part of the PrimEx-eta experiment in Hall D at Jefferson Lab. This is the first measurement of this fundamental QED process within this energy range. The total uncertainties of the cross section, combining the statistical and systematic components in quadrature, averaged to 3.4% across all energy bins. This not only demonstrates the capability of this experimental setup to perform precision cross-section measurements at forward angles but also allows us to compare with state-of-the-art QED calculations.

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arXiv2025

First Measurement of $a^0_2(1320)$ Polarized Photoproduction Cross Section

We measure for the first time the differential photoproduction cross section $d\sigma/dt$ of the $a_2(1320)$ meson at an average photon beam energy of 8.5~GeV, using data with an integrated luminosity of 104~pb$^{-1}$ collected by the GlueX experiment. We fully reconstruct the $\gamma p \to \eta\pi^0 p$ reaction and perform a partial-wave analysis in the $a_2(1320)$ mass region with amplitudes that incorporate the linear polarization of the beam. This allows us to separate for the first time the contributions of natural- and unnatural-parity exchanges. These measurements provide novel information about the photoproduction mechanism, which is critical for the search for spin-exotic states.

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arXiv2024

Upper Limit on the Photoproduction Cross Section of the Spin-Exotic $\pi_1(1600)$

The spin-exotic hybrid meson $\pi_{1}(1600)$ is predicted to have a large decay rate to the $\omega\pi\pi$ final state. Using 76.6~pb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the GlueX detector, we measure the cross sections for the reactions $\gamma p \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^- p$, $\gamma p \to \omega \pi^0 \pi^0 p$, and $\gamma p\to\omega\pi^-\pi^0\Delta^{++}$ in the range $E_\gamma =$ 8-10 GeV. Using isospin conservation, we set the first upper limits on the photoproduction cross sections of the $\pi^{0}_{1}(1600)$ and $\pi^{-}_{1}(1600)$. We combine these limits with lattice calculations of decay widths and find that photoproduction of $\eta'\pi$ is the most sensitive two-body system to search for the $\pi_1(1600)$.

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arXiv2024

Measurement of Spin-Density Matrix Elements in $\Delta^{++}(1232)$ photoproduction

We measure the spin-density matrix elements (SDMEs) of the $\Delta^{++}(1232)$ in the photoproduction reaction $\gamma p \to \pi^-\Delta^{++}(1232)$ with the GlueX experiment in Hall D at Jefferson Lab. The measurement uses a linearly--polarized photon beam with energies from $8.2$ to $8.8$~GeV and the statistical precision of the SDMEs exceeds the previous measurement by three orders of magnitude for the momentum transfer squared region below $1.4$ GeV$^2$. The data are sensitive to the previously undetermined relative sign between couplings in existing Regge-exchange models. Linear combinations of the extracted SDMEs allow for a decomposition into natural and unnatural--exchange amplitudes. We find that the unnatural exchange plays an important role in the low momentum transfer region.

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arXiv2024

First measurement using elliptically polarized photons of the double-polarization observable $E$ for $\gamma p \to p \pi^0$ and $\gamma p \to n \pi^+$

We report the measurement of the helicity asymmetry $E$ for the $p\pi^0$ and $n\pi^+$ final states using, for the first time, an elliptically polarized photon beam in combination with a longitudinally polarized target at the Crystal Ball experiment at MAMI. The results agree very well with data that were taken with a circularly polarized photon beam, showing that it is possible to simultaneously measure polarization observables that require linearly (e.g.~$G$) and circularly polarized photons (e.g.~$E$) and a longitudinally polarized target. The new data cover a photon energy range 270 - 1400 MeV for the $p\pi^0$ final state (230 - 842 MeV for the $n\pi^+$ final state) and the full range of pion polar angles, $\theta$, providing the most precise measurement of the observable $E$. A moment analysis gives a clear observation of the $p\eta$ cusp in the $p\pi^0$ final state.

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arXiv2023

Evaluation of the E2/M1 ratio in the $N\to \Delta(1232)$ transition from the $ \vec{\gamma} \vec{p} \to p \pi^0 $ reaction

A new data set for the helicity-dependent differential cross section of the single-meson photoproduction reaction $\gamma p \to p \pi^{0}$ was obtained for the photon energy interval 150-400 MeV. The experiment was performed at the A2 tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI using a circularly polarized photon beam and a longitudinally polarized proton target. The reaction products were detected with the large acceptance Crystal Ball/TAPS calorimeter covering 97\% of the full solid angle. These new results, obtained with a fine energy and polar angle binning, greatly increase both the existing quantity and quality of the data available for this observable. A moment analysis, based on a finite expansion in Legendre polynomials, was applied to these data by using a bootstrap-based fitting method to correctly account for their systematic uncertainties. From the resulting decomposition of the differential cross sections, the $E2/M1$ ratio for the $N\to \Delta(1232)$ transition was determined to be $[-2.38 \pm 0.16{\hbox{ (stat.+sys.)}} \pm 0.10 {\hbox{ (model)}}] \%$. Combining this value with previous results also allowed us to evaluate the most precise available estimate of the $E2/M1$ ratio to be used for all further reference and model comparisons.

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arXiv2023

Helicity dependent cross sections for the photoproduction of $\pi^0\pi^{\pm}$ pairs from quasi-free nucleons

Photoproduction of $\pi^0\pi^{\pm}$-pairs from quasifree nucleons bound in the deuteron has been investigated to study the helicity dependence of this reaction. Measurements with a liquid deuterium target were used to extract the unpolarized cross sections for reactions on protons and neutrons. A deuterated, longitudinally polarized solid-butanol target, together with a circularly polarized photon beam, determined the double polarization observable $E$. From these results the spin-dependent cross sections $\sigma_{1/2}$ and $\sigma_{3/2}$, corresponding to the anti-parallel and parallel spin configurations of the beam photon and target nucleon, have been derived. The measurements were performed at the Mainz MAMI accelerator with tagged, circularly-polarized photon beams produced via bremsstrahlung from longitudinally polarized electron beams. The reaction products were detected with an almost $4\pi$ solid-angle covering calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors, supplemented by plastic scintillation detectors for charged particle identification. The results are sensitive to sequential decays of nucleon resonances via intermediate states and also to the decay of nucleon resonances by emission of charged $\rho$ mesons, and are compared to recent model results.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of Spin-Density Matrix Elements in $\rho(770)$ Production with a Linearly Polarized Photon Beam at $E_\gamma = 8.2\,-\,8.8\,\text{GeV}$

The GlueX experiment at Jefferson Lab studies photoproduction of mesons using linearly polarized $8.5\,\text{GeV}$ photons impinging on a hydrogen target which is contained within a detector with near-complete coverage for charged and neutral particles. We present measurements of spin-density matrix elements for the photoproduction of the vector meson $\rho$(770). The statistical precision achieved exceeds that of previous experiments for polarized photoproduction in this energy range by orders of magnitude. We confirm a high degree of $s$-channel helicity conservation at small squared four-momentum transfer $t$ and are able to extract the $t$-dependence of natural and unnatural-parity exchange contributions to the production process in detail. We confirm the dominance of natural-parity exchange over the full $t$ range. We also find that helicity amplitudes in which the helicity of the incident photon and the photoproduced $\rho(770)$ differ by two units are negligible for $-t<0.5\,\text{GeV}^{2}/c^{2}$.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of the J/$\psi $ photoproduction cross section over the full near-threshold kinematic region

We report the total and differential cross sections for $J/\psi$ photoproduction with the large acceptance GlueX spectrometer for photon beam energies from the threshold at 8.2~GeV up to 11.44~GeV and over the full kinematic range of momentum transfer squared, $t$. Such coverage facilitates the extrapolation of the differential cross sections to the forward ($t = 0$) point beyond the physical region. The forward cross section is used by many theoretical models and plays an important role in understanding $J/\psi$ photoproduction and its relation to the $J/\psi-$proton interaction. These measurements of $J/\psi$ photoproduction near threshold are also crucial inputs to theoretical models that are used to study important aspects of the gluon structure of the proton, such as the gluon Generalized Parton Distribution (GPD) of the proton, the mass radius of the proton, and the trace anomaly contribution to the proton mass. We observe possible structures in the total cross section energy dependence and find evidence for contributions beyond gluon exchange in the differential cross section close to threshold, both of which are consistent with contributions from open-charm intermediate states.

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arXiv2023

A new direct detection electron scattering experiment to search for the X17 particle

A new electron scattering experiment (E12-21-003) to verify and understand the nature of hidden sector particles, with particular emphasis on the so-called X17 particle, has been approved at Jefferson Lab. The search for these particles is motivated by new hidden sector models introduced to account for a variety of experimental and observational puzzles: excess in $e^+e^-$ pairs observed in multiple nuclear transitions, the 4.2$\sigma$ disagreement between experiments and the standard model prediction for the muon anomalous magnetic moment, and the small-scale structure puzzle in cosmological simulations. The aforementioned X17 particle has been hypothesized to account for the excess in $e^+e^-$ pairs observed from the $^8$Be M1, $^4$He M0, and, most recently, $^{12}$C E1 nuclear transitions to their ground states observed by the ATOMKI group. This experiment will use a high resolution electromagnetic calorimeter to search for or set new limits on the production rate of the X17 and other hidden sector particles in the $3 - 60$ MeV mass range via their $e^+e^-$ decay (or $\gamma\gamma$ decay with limited tracking). In these models, the $1 - 100$ MeV mass range is particularly well-motivated and the lower part of this range still remains unexplored. Our proposed direct detection experiment will use a magnetic-spectrometer-free setup (the PRad apparatus) to detect all three final state particles in the visible decay of a hidden sector particle for an effective control of the background and will cover the proposed mass range in a single setting. The use of the well-demonstrated PRad setup allows for an essentially ready-to-run and uniquely cost-effective search for hidden sector particles in the $3 - 60$ MeV mass range with a sensitivity of 8.9$\times$10$^{-8}$ - 5.8$\times$10$^{-9}$ to $\epsilon^2$, the square of the kinetic mixing interaction constant between hidden and visible sectors.

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arXiv2022

Neutron polarisation transfer, $C_{x'}^n$, in $\pi^+$ photoproduction off the proton

We report a first measurement of the double-polarisation observable, $C_{x'}$, in $\pi^+$ photoproduction off the proton. The $C_{x'}$ double-polarisation observable represents the transfer of polarisation from a circularly polarised photon beam to the recoiling neutron. The MAMI circularly polarised photon beam impinged on a liquid deuterium target cell, with reaction products detected in the Crystal Ball calorimeter. Ancillary apparatus surrounding the target provided tracking, particle identification and determination of recoil nucleon polarisation. The $C_{x'}$ observable is determined for photon energies 800-1400 MeV, providing new constraints on models aiming to elucidate the spectrum and properties of nucleon resonances. This is the first determination of any polarisation observable from the beam-recoil group of observables for this reaction, providing a valuable constraint and systematic check of the current solutions of partial wave analysis based theoretical models.

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arXiv2022

Target and beam-target asymmetries for the $γp \to π^0 π^0 p$ reaction

Background: Photoproduction of pion pairs allows to study sequential decays of nucleon resonances via excited intermediate states. Such decays are important e.g. for states which in the quark model have both oscillators excited and de-excite them in a two-step process. However, analyses of multi-meson final states is difficult and requires more than unpolarized cross section measurements. Purpose: Experimental study and model analysis in view of resonant contributions of target and beam-target polarization observables for the reaction $γp \to π^0 π^0 p$. Methods: Investigated were target (single) and beam-target (double) polarization asymmetries in dependence of several parameters. The experiments were performed at the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) using circularly polarized photon beams and transversally polarized solid-state butanol targets. The reaction products were analyzed with the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. Results: Studied were the polarization observables Py (unpolarized beam, target polarized in y direction) and Px (circularly polarized beam, target polarized in x direction), which are similar to T (target asymmetry) and F (beam-target asymmetry) for single pion production. The asymmetries were analyzed with three independent methods, revealing systematic uncertainties.

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arXiv2022

A Direct Detection Search for Hidden Sector New Particles in the 3-60 MeV Mass Range

In our quest to understand the nature of dark matter and discover its non-gravitational interactions with ordinary matter, we propose an experiment using a \pbo ~calorimeter to search for or set new limits on the production rate of i) hidden sector particles in the $3 - 60$ MeV mass range via their $e^+e^-$ decay (or $γγ$ decay with limited tracking), and ii) the hypothetical X17 particle, claimed in multiple recent experiments. The search for these particles is motivated by new hidden sector models and dark matter candidates introduced to account for a variety of experimental and observational puzzles: the small-scale structure puzzle in cosmological simulations, anomalies such as the 4.2$σ$ disagreement between experiments and the standard model prediction for the muon anomalous magnetic moment, and the excess of $e^+e^-$ pairs from the $^8$Be M1 and $^4$He nuclear transitions to their ground states observed by the ATOMKI group. In these models, the $1 - 100$ MeV mass range is particularly well-motivated and the lower part of this range still remains unexplored. Our proposed direct detection experiment will use a magnetic-spectrometer-free setup (the PRad apparatus) to detect all three final state particles in the visible decay of a hidden sector particle allowing for an effective control of the background and will cover the proposed mass range in a single setting. The use of the well-demonstrated PRad setup allows for an essentially ready-to-run and uniquely cost-effective search for hidden sector particles in the $3 - 60$ MeV mass range with a sensitivity of 8.9$\times$10$^{-8}$ - 5.8$\times$10$^{-9}$ to $ε^2$, the square of the kinetic mixing interaction constant between hidden and visible sectors. This updated proposal includes our response to the PAC49 comments.

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arXiv2022

First measurement of polarisation transfer $C^n_{x'}$ in deuteron photodisintegration

A first measurement of the polarisation transfer from a circularly-polarised photon to the final state neutron ($C^n_{x'}$) in deuterium photodisintegration has been carried out. This quantity is determined over the photon energy range 370~--~700~MeV and for neutron centre-of-mass breakup angles $\sim45-120^{\circ}$. The polarisation of the final state neutrons was determined by an ancillary large-acceptance nucleon polarimeter, surrounding a cryogenic liquid deuterium target within the Crystal Ball detector at MAMI. The polarimeter characterised $(n,p)$ charge exchange of the ejected neutrons to determine their polarisation. The new $C^n_{x'}$ data are also compared to a theoretical model based on nucleonic and nucleon resonance degrees of freedom constrained by the current world-database of deuterium photodisintegration measurements. Structures in $C^n_{x'}$ observed in the region of the $d^*(2380)$ could not be explained by conventional models of deuteron photodisintegration.

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arXiv2022

Measurement of the helicity dependence for single $π^{0}$ photoproduction from the deuteron

The helicity-dependent single $π^{0}$ photoproduction cross section on the deuteron and the angular dependence of the double polarisation observable $E$ for the quasi-free single $π^0$ production off the proton and the neutron have been measured for the first time from the threshold region up to the photon energy 1.4 GeV. The experiment was performed at the tagged photon facility of the MAMI accelerator and used a circularly polarised photon beam and longitudinally polarised deuteron target. The reaction products were detected using the large acceptance Crystal Ball/TAPS calorimeter, which covered 97% of the full solid angle. Comparing the cross section from the deuteron with the sum of free nucleon cross sections provides a quantitative estimate of the effects of the nuclear medium on pion production. In contrast, comparison of $E$ helicity asymmetry data from quasi-free protons off deuterium with data from a free proton target indicates that nuclear effects do not significantly affect this observable. As a consequence, it is deduced that the helicity asymmetry $E$ on a free neutron can be reliably extracted from measurements on a deuteron in quasi-free kinematics.

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