The $e p\to e^\prime p ρ^0$ reaction has been measured, using the 5.754 GeV electron beam of Jefferson Lab and the CLAS detector. This represents the largest ever set of data for this reaction in the valence region. Integrated and differential cross sections are presented. The $W$, $Q^2$ and $t$ dependences of the cross section are compared to theoretical calculations based on $t$-channel meson-exchange Regge theory on the one hand and on quark handbag diagrams related to Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) on the other hand. The Regge approach can describe at the $\approx$ 30% level most of the features of the present data while the two GPD calculations that are presented in this article which succesfully reproduce the high energy data strongly underestimate the present data. The question is then raised whether this discrepancy originates from an incomplete or inexact way of modelling the GPDs or the associated hard scattering amplitude or whether the GPD formalism is simply inapplicable in this region due to higher-twists contributions, incalculable at present.
The latest results on exclusive vector meson electroproduction from HERA are reviewed. In particular, the new high-statistics measurements of the rho^0 electroproduction are presented and compared to several models.
We present the results of exclusive electroproduction of vector mesons on the proton at CLAS. We discuss the interpretation of these cross sections in terms of t-channel Reggeon exchanges and in terms of Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) formalism.
We present preliminary results of the exclusive electroproduction of rho+ on the proton at CLAS. We discuss the interpretation of the cross sections in terms of t-channel Reggeon exchanges and in terms of Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) formalism.
Exclusive electroproduction of $π^+π^-$ pairs off hydrogen and deuterium targets has been studied with the HERMES experiment. The angular distribution of the $π^+$ in the $π^+π^-$ rest system has been studied in the invariant mass range $0.3 < m_{ππ} <1.5$ GeV. Theoretical models derived in the framework of the Generalized Parton Distributions show that this angular distribution receives only contributions from the interference between the isoscalar channel I=0 and the isovector channel I=1.
The exclusive electroproduction of omega mesons, ep -> e omega p, has been studied in the kinematic range 3<Q^2<20 GeV^2, 40<W<120 GeV and |t|<0.6 GeV^2 with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 37.7 pb^{-1}. The omega mesons were identified via the decay omega -> pi^+pi^-pi^0. The exclusive (ep -> e omega p) cross section in the above kinematic region is 0.108 +- 0.014(stat.) +- 0.026(syst.) nb. The reaction ep -> e phi p, phi -> pi^+pi^-pi^0, has also been measured. The cross sections, as well as the cross-section ratios omega/rho and omega/phi, are presented as a func…
Exclusive electroproduction of pi+ mesons was studied by scattering 27.6 GeV positrons or electrons off a transversely polarized hydrogen target. The single-spin azimuthal asymmetry with respect to target polarization was measured as a function of the Mandelstam variable t, the Bjorken scaling variable x_B, and the virtuality Q^2 of the exchanged photon. The extracted Fourier components of the asymmetry were found to be consistent with zero, except one that was found to be large and that involves interference of contributions from longitudinal and transverse virtual photons.
Exclusive incoherent electroproduction of the rho^0(770) meson from 1H, 2H, 3He, and 14N targets has been studied by the HERMES experiment at squared four-momentum transfer Q**2>0.4 GeV**2 and positron energy loss nu from 9 to 20 GeV. The ratio of the 14N to 1H cross sections per nucleon, known as the nuclear transparency, was found to decrease with increasing coherence length of quark-antiquark fluctuations of the virtual photon. The data provide clear evidence of the interaction of the quark- antiquark fluctuations with the nuclear medium.
Azimuthal asymmetries in exclusive electroproduction of real photons are measured for the first time with respect to transverse target polarisation, providing new constraints on Generalized Parton Distributions. From the same data set on a hydrogen target, new results for the beam-charge asymmetry are also extracted with better precision than those previously reported. By comparing model calculations with measured asymmetries attributed to the interference between the deeply virtual Compton scattering and Bethe-Heitler processes, a model-dependent constraint is obtained on the total angular mo…
The exclusive electroproduction of pi+ mesons was studied with the Hermes spectrometer at the DESY laboratory by scattering 27.6 GeV positron and electron beams off an internal hydrogen gas target. The virtual-photon cross sections were measured as a function of the Mandelstam variable t and the squared four momentum -Q^2 of the exchanged virtual photon. A model calculation based on Generalized Parton Distributions is in fair agreement with the data at low values of |t| if power corrections are included. A model calculation based on the Regge formalism gives a good description of the magnitude…
Exclusive electroproduction of $ϕ$ mesons has been studied in $e^\pm p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=318 \gev$ with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 65.1 pb$^{-1}$. The $γ^*p$ cross section is presented in the kinematic range $2<Q^2<70 \gev^2$, $35<W<145 \gev$ and ${|t|}<0.6 \gev^2$. The cross sections as functions of $Q^2$, $W$, $t$ and helicity angle $θ_h$ are compared to cross sections for other vector mesons. The ratios $R$ of the cross sections for longitudinally and transversely polarized virtual photons are presented as functions of $Q^2$ and $W$. The data are also…
The exclusive electroproduction of rho-0 mesons was studied with the HERMES spectrometer at the DESY laboratory by scattering 27.6 GeV positron and electron beams off a transversely polarized hydrogen target. Spin density matrix elements for this process were determined from the measured production- and decay-angle distributions of the produced rho-0 mesons. These matrix elements embody information on helicity transfer and the validity of s-channel helicity conservation in the case of a transversely polarized target. From the spin density matrix elements, the leading-twist term in the single-s…
The beam spin asymmetry (BSA) in the exclusive reaction ep->ep pi0 was measured with the CEBAF 5.77 GeV polarized electron beam and Large Acceptance Spectrometer(CLAS). The xB, Q2, t and phi dependences of the pi0 BSA are presented in the deep inelastic regime. The asymmetries are fitted with a sin(phi) function and their amplitudes are extracted. Overall, they are of the order of 0.04 - 0.11 and roughly independent of t. This is the signature of a non-zero longitudinal-transverse interference. The implications concerning the applicability of a formalism based on generalized parton distributio…
Exclusive production of $ρ^0$ and $J/ψ$ mesons in e^+ p collisions has been studied with the ZEUS detector in the kinematic range $0.25 < Q^2 < 50 GeV^2, 20 < W < 167 GeV$ for the $ρ^0$ data and $2 < Q^2 < 40 GeV^2, 50 < W < 150 GeV$ for the $J/ψ$ data. Cross sections for exclusive $ρ^0$ and $J/ψ$ production have been measured as a function of $Q^2, W$ and $t$. The spin-density matrix elements $r^{04}_{00}, r^1_{1-1}$ and $Re r^{5}_{10}$ have been determined for exclusive $ρ^0$ production as well as $r^{04}_{00}$ and $r^{04}_{1-1}$ for exclusive $J/ψ$ production. The results are discussed in t…
A single-spin asymmetry in the distribution of exclusively produced pi^+ mesons azimuthally around the virtual photon direction relative to the lepton scattering plane has been measured for the first time in deep-inelastic scattering of positrons off longitudinally polarized protons. Integrated over the experimental acceptance, the sin ϕmoment of the polarization asymmetry of the cross section is measured to be -0.18 +/- 0.05 (stat.) +/- 0.02 (syst.). The asymmetry is also studied as a function of the relevant kinematic variables, and its magnitude is found to grow with decreasing x and increa…
Exclusive electroproduction of rho^0 mesons has been measured using the ZEUS detector at HERA in two Q^2 ranges, 0.25<Q^2<0.85 GeV^2 and 3<Q^2<30 GeV^2. The low-Q^2 data span the range 20<W<90 GeV; the high-Q^2 data cover the 40<W<120 GeV interval. Both samples extend up to four-momentum transfers of |t|=0.6 GeV^2. The distribution in the azimuthal angle between the positron scattering plane and the rho^0 production plane shows a small but significant violation of s-channel helicity conservation, corresponding to the production of longitudinally polarised (i.e. helicity zero) rho^0 mesons from…
Spin Density Matrix Elements (SDMEs) describing the angular distribution of exclusive rho^0 electroproduction and decay are determined in the HERMES experiment with 27.6 GeV beam energy and unpolarized hydrogen and deuterium targets. Eight (fifteen) SDMEs that are related (unrelated) to the longitudinal polarization of the beam are extracted in the kinematic region 1 GeV^2 < Q^2 < 7 GeV^2, 3.0 GeV < W < 6.3 GeV, and -t < 0.4 GeV^2. Within the given experimental uncertainties, a hierarchy of relative sizes of helicity amplitudes is observed. Kinematic dependences of all SDMEs on Q^2 and t are p…
Hard exclusive electroproduction of $π^+π^-$ pairs off hydrogen and deuterium targets has been studied by the HERMES experiment at DESY. Legendre moments $<P_1>$ and $<P_3>$ of the angular distributions of $π^+$ mesons in the center-of-mass frame of the pair have been measured for the first time. Their dependence on the $π^+π^-$ invariant mass can be understood as being due to the interference between relative $P$-wave (isovector) and $S,D$-wave (isoscalar) states of the two pions. % The increase in magnitude of $<P_1>$ as Bjorken $x$ increases is interpreted in the framework of Generalized Pa…
The longitudinal and transverse components of the cross section for the $e p\to e^\prime p ρ^0$ reaction were measured in Hall B at Jefferson Laboratory using the CLAS detector. The data were taken with a 4.247 GeV electron beam and were analyzed in a range of $x_B$ from 0.2 to 0.6 and of $Q^2$ from 1.5 to 3.0 GeV$^2$. The data are compared to a Regge model based on effective hadronic degrees of freedom and to a calculation based on Generalized Parton Distributions. It is found that the transverse part of the cross section is well described by the former approach while the longitudinal part ca…
New results on charm and beauty electroproduction from the H1 and ZEUS Collaborations at the ep collider HERA are presented. Differential cross sections are compared to a next-to-leading order QCD calculation. The heavy quark contributions, F_2^{cc} and F_2^{bb}, to the proton structure function F_2 are compared using different experimental techniques. Also, results are shown on the charm fragmentation function, thereby testing the universality of fragmentation.
The exclusive omega electroproduction off the proton was studied in a large kinematical domain above the nucleon resonance region and for the highest possible photon virtuality (Q2) with the 5.75 GeV beam at CEBAF and the CLAS spectrometer. Cross sections were measured up to large values of the four-momentum transfer (-t < 2.7 GeV2) to the proton. The contributions of the interference terms sigma_TT and sigma_TL to the cross sections, as well as an analysis of the omega spin density matrix, indicate that helicity is not conserved in this process. The t-channel pi0 exchange, or more generally t…
The electroproduction of rho mesons with proton diffractive dissociation for Q^2 > 7 GeV^2 and the elastic electroproduction of Phi mesons for Q^2 > 6 Gev^2 are studied in e^+ p collisions at HERA with the H1 detector, for an integrated luminosity of 2.8 pb-1. The dependence of the cross sections on P_t^2 and Q^2 is measured, and the vector meson polarisation obtained. The cross section ratio between proton dissociative and elastic production of rho mesons is measured and discussed in the framework of the factorisation hypothesis of diffractive vertices. The ratio of the elastic cross section …
The exclusive electroproduction of J/psi mesons, ep->epJ/psi, has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA for virtualities of the exchanged photon in the ranges 0.15<Q^2<0.8 GeV^2 and 2<Q^2<100 GeV^2 using integrated luminosities of 69 pb^-1 and 83 pb^-1, respectively.The photon-proton centre-of-mass energy was in the range 30<W<220 GeV and the squared four-momentum transfer at the proton vertex |t|<1.The cross sections and decay angular distributions are presented as functions of Q^2, W and t. The effective parameters of the Pomeron trajectory are in agreement with those found in J/psi ph…
We report measurements of the exclusive electroproduction of $K^+Λ$ and $K^+Σ^0$ final states from a proton target using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The separated structure functions $σ_T$, $σ_L$, $σ_{TT}$, and $σ_{LT}$ were extracted from the $Φ$- and $ε$-dependent differential cross sections taken with electron beam energies of 2.567, 4.056, and 4.247 GeV. This analysis represents the first $σ_L/σ_T$ separation with the CLAS detector, and the first measurement of the kaon electroproduction structure functions away from parallel kinematics. The dat…
We suggest the measurement of exclusive electroproduction of lepton pairs as a tool to study inter-parton correlations in the nucleon via generalized parton distributions in the kinematical region where this process is light-cone dominated. We demonstrate how the single beam-spin asymmetry allows to perform such kind of analysis and give a number of predictions for several experimental setups. We comment on other observables which allow for a clean separation of different species of generalized parton distributions.
We studied the exclusive reaction e p --> e' p' phi using the phi --> K^+ K^- decay mode. The data were collected using a 4.2 GeV incident electron beam and the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. Our experiment covers the range in Q^2 from 0.7 to 2.2 GeV^2, and W from 2.0 to 2.6 GeV. Taken together with all previous data, we find a consistent picture of phi production on the proton. Our measurement shows the expected decrease of the t-slope with the vector meson formation time c Delta tau below 2 fm. At = 0.6 fm, we measure b_phi = 2.27 +- 0.42 GeV^-2. The cross section dependence on W as W^{0.2+…
$γ_{v}NN^*$ transition helicity amplitudes (electrocouplings) of several prominent excited proton states are determined for the first time in independent analyses of $π^+n$, $π^0p$, and $π^+π^-p$ electroproduction off protons. Analysis of $π^+π^-p$ electroproduction has extended considerably information on electrocouplings of high lying N* states, which decay preferentially to the $Nππ$ final states.
Exclusive rho0 electroproduction at HERA has been studied with the ZEUS detector, using 120 pb{-1} integrated luminosity, in the kinematic range of photon virtuality of 2 < Q2 < 160 GeV2, and gamma* p center-of-mass energy of 32 < W < 180 GeV. The results include the Q2 and W dependence of the gamma* p --> rho0 p cross section and the distribution of the squared-four-momentum transfer to the proton, t. Also included is the ratio of longitudinal to transverse gamma* p cross section as a function of Q2, W and t. Finally, the effective Pomeron trajectory was extracted. The results are compared to…
The energy dependence of the cross section for exclusive electroproduction of vector mesons is discussed as a way to learn about the interplay of soft and hard interactions. The question of determining the scale of these processes is addressed.
We investigate exclusive electroproduction of $π^-Δ^{++}$ within the handbag approach in which the helicity amplitudes factorize into generalized parton distributions (GPDs) and hard partonic subprocesses. We define the $p-Δ$ transversity GPDs while the helicity non-flip GPDs are taken from the literature. For the numerical estimates of observables we utilize large-$N_C$ results in order to relate a few of the $p-Δ$ GPDs to the proton-proton ones and neglect all other GPDs. In the calculation of the twist-2 and twist-3 subprocess amplitudes we take into account quark transverse momenta in comb…
We report measurements of the exclusive electroproduction of $K^+Λ$ and $K^+Σ^0$ final states from an unpolarized proton target using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The separated structure functions $σ_U$, $σ_{LT}$, $σ_{TT}$, and $σ_{LT'}$ were extracted from the $Φ$-dependent differential cross sections acquired with a longitudinally polarized 5.499 GeV electron beam. The data span a broad range of momentum transfers $Q^2$ from 1.4 to 3.9 GeV$^2$, invariant energy $W$ from threshold to 2.6 GeV, and nearly the full center-of-mass angular range of the k…
We discuss the relevance of studying single transverse-spin asymmetry in hard-exclusive meson electroproduction in the backward region. Such an asymmetry could help us discriminate between contributions from a soft baryon exchange in the u-channel and a hard parton-induced scattering.
We report on the first measurement of cross sections for exclusive deeply virtual pion electroproduction off the proton, $e p \to e^\prime n π^+$, above the resonance region at backward pion center-of-mass angles. The $φ^*_π$-dependent cross sections were measured, from which we extracted three combinations of structure functions of the proton. Our results are compatible with calculations based on nucleon-to-pion transition distribution amplitudes (TDAs) and shed new light on nucleon structure.
The processes of exclusive diffractive scattering $p+p\to p+p$, $\bar p+p\to\bar p+p$, and $γ^*+p\to V+p$ at high energies are considered in the framework of a unified Regge-eikonal model with a very simple reggeon structure of the eikonal. It is demonstrated that the pomeron trajectory is universal in all reactions and having intercept about 1.31 which could be exctracted explicitly from the data on the proton structure function $F_2(x,Q^2)$. The predictions for the proton-proton cross-sections at LHC energies are given.
The total cross sections for the elastic electroproduction of $\rh0$ and $J/Ψ$ mesons for $Q^2$ $>$ 8 GeV$^2$ and $<W > \simeq 90$ GeV/c$^2$ are measured at HERA with the H1 detector. The measurements are for an integrated electron$-$proton luminosity of $\simeq$~3~pb$^{-1}$. The dependences of the total virtual photon$-$proton ($γ^* p$) cross sections on $Q^2$, $W$ and the momentum transfer squared to the proton ($t$), and, for the $ρ$, the dependence on the polar decay angle ($\cos θ^*$), are presented. The $J/Ψ$ : $\rh0$ cross section ratio is determined. The results are discussed in the li…
Double-spin asymmetries in the cross section of electroproduction of $ρ^0$ and $ϕ$ mesons on the proton and deuteron are measured at the HERMES experiment. The photoabsorption asymmetry in exclusive $ρ^0$ electroproduction on the proton exhibits a positive tendency. This is consistent with theoretical predictions that the exchange of an object with unnatural parity contributes to exclusive $ρ^0$ electroproduction by transverse photons. The photoabsorption asymmetry on the deuteron is found to be consistent with zero. Double-spin asymmetries in $ρ^0$ and $ϕ$ meson electroproduction by quasi-rea…
Exclusive coherent and incoherent electroproduction of the $ρ^0$ meson from $^1$H and $^{14}$N targets has been studied at the HERMES experiment as a function of coherence length ($l_c$), corresponding to the lifetime of hadronic fluctuations of the virtual photon, and squared four-momentum of the virtual photon ($-Q^2$). The ratio of $^{14}$N to $^1$H cross sections per nucleon, known as nuclear transparency, was found to increase (decrease) with increasing coherence length for coherent (incoherent) $ρ^0$ electroproduction. For fixed coherence length, a rise of nuclear transparency with $Q^2$…
Nucleon resonance contributions to the inclusive proton $F_2$ and $F_L$ structure functions are computed from resonance electroexcitation amplitudes in the mass range up to 1.75 GeV extracted from CLAS exclusive meson electroproduction data. Taking into account for the first time quantum interference effects, the resonance contributions are compared with inclusive proton structure functions evaluated from $(e,e'X)$ cross section data and the longitudinal to transverse cross section ratio. Contributions from isospin-1/2 and 3/2 resonances remain substantial over the entire range of photon virtu…
Electrocouplings of excited proton states with masses less than 1.8 GeV were determined for the first time from the CLAS data on $π^+π^-p$ electroproduction at photon virtualities $Q^2$ $<$ 1.5 GeV$^2$. Electrocouplings were obtained from a combined fit of all available observables within the framework of a phenomenological reaction model.
Semi-inclusive pi+ electroproduction on protons has been measured with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. The measurement was performed on a liquid-hydrogen target using a 5.75 GeV electron beam. The complete five-fold differential cross sections were measured over a wide kinematic range including the complete range of azimuthal angles between hadronic and leptonic planes, phi, enabling us to separate the phi-dependent terms. Our measurements of phi-independent term of the cross section at low Bjorken x were found to be in fairly good agreement with pQCD calculations. Indeed, the conventional…
We studied the electroproduction of the Delta(1232) resonance via the reaction p(e,e'p)\pi0 at four-momentum transfers Qsq = 2.8 and 4.0 GeV^2. This is the highest Qsq for which exclusive resonance electroproduction has ever been observed. Decay angular distributions for Delta to p-pi0$ were measured over a wide range of barycentric energies covering the resonance. The $N-Δ$ transition form factor G*_M and ratios of resonant multipoles E{1+}/M{1+} and S{1+}/M{1+} were extracted from the decay angular distributions. These ratios remain small, indicating that perturbative QCD is not applicable f…
Unpolarized and beam-polarized four-fold cross sections $\frac{d^4 σ}{dQ^2 dx_B dt dϕ}$ for the $ep\to e^\prime p^\prime γ$ reaction were measured using the CLAS detector and the 5.75-GeV polarized electron beam of the Jefferson Lab accelerator, for 110 ($Q^2,x_B,t$) bins over the widest phase space ever explored in the valence-quark region. Several models of Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) describe the data well at most of our kinematics. This increases our confidence that we understand the GPD $H$, expected to be the dominant contributor to these observables. Through a leading-twist …
We evaluate the single target-spin sin(phi_h) and sin(2ϕ_h) azimuthal asymmetries in the semi-inclusive deep inelastic lepton scattering off longitudinally polarized proton target under HERMES kinematic conditions. A good agreement with the HERMES data can be achieved using only the twist-2 distribution and fragmentation functions.
Exclusive electroproduction of pi0 mesons on protons in the backward hemisphere has been studied at Q**2 = 1.0 GeV**2 by detecting protons in the forward direction in coincidence with scattered electrons from the 4 GeV electron beam in Jefferson Lab's Hall A. The data span the range of the total (gamma* p) center-of-mass energy W from the pion production threshold to W = 2.0 GeV. The differential cross sections sigma_T+epsilon*sigma_L, sigma_TL, and sigma_TT were separated from the azimuthal distribution and are presented together with the MAID and SAID parametrizations.
We discuss recent HERA results on vector--meson electroproduction gamma*p -> Vp and demonstrate that universality of the initial and final state interactions responsible for the transition between the on- and off-mass shell states allows to explain energy independence of the ratio of exclusive rho electroproduction cross section to the total cross section. We also predict explicit mass dependence of this ratio for other vector mesons.
The processes of exclusive photo- and electroproduction of vector mesons $ρ^0$(770), $ϕ$(1020) and $J/ψ$(3096) at collision energies $30 GeV<W<300 GeV$ and transferred momenta squared $0<-t<2 GeV^2$ are considered in the framework of a phenomenological Regge-eikonal scheme with nonlinear Regge trajectories in which their QCD asymptotic behavior is taken into account explicitly. By comparison of available experimental data from ZEUS and H1 Collaborations with the model predictions it is demonstrated that corresponding angular distributions and integrated cross-sections in the above-mentioned ki…
We perform a calculation of Sivers function in a light-cone SU(6) quark-diquark model with both scalar diquark and vector diquark spectators. We derive the transverse momentum dependent light-cone wave function of the proton by taking into account the Melosh-Wigner rotation. By adopting one-gluon exchange, we obtain a non-vanishing Sivers function of $down$ quark from interference of proton spin amplitudes. We analyze the $\frac{|P_{h\perp}|}{M}$ weighted Sivers asymmetries in $π^+$, $π^-$ and $π^0$ electroproduction off transverse polarized proton target, averaged and not averaged by the kine…
We discuss the recent data of exclusive $π^0$ (and $π^+$) electroproduction on the proton obtained by the CLAS collaboration at Jefferson Lab. It is observed that the cross sections, which have been decomposed in $σ_T +εσ_L$, $σ_{TT}$ and $σ_{LT}$ structure functions, are dominated by transverse amplitude contributions. The data can be interpreted in the Generalized Parton Distribution formalism provided that one includes helicity-flip transversity GPDs.
Background: Measurements of exclusive meson production are a useful tool in the study of hadronic structure. In particular, one can discern the relevant degrees of freedom at different distance scales through these studies. Purpose: To study the transition between non-perturbative and perturbative Quantum Chromodyanmics as the square of four momentum transfer to the struck proton, -t, is increased. Method: Cross sections for the $^1$H(e,e'$π^+$)n reaction were measured over the -t range of 0.272 to 2.127 GeV$^2$ with limited azimuthal coverage at fixed beam energy of 4.709 GeV, Q$^2$ of 2.4 Ge…
Exclusive electro-weak processes have peculiar features which make them complementary to usually discussed deeply virtual electroproduction processes such as deep virtual Compton scattering or meson production (and the corresponding crossed reactions). They allow in particular single charmed meson production, which we study in two different contexts : electroproduction at an electron ion collider and neutrino-production at a medium energy neutrino facility. We rely on the QCD collinear factorization framework where generalized parton distributions allow physicists to perform a nucleon tomograp…
We examine the efficacy of pion exchange models to simultaneously describe leading neutron electroproduction at HERA and the $\bar{d}-\bar{u}$ flavor asymmetry in the proton. A detailed $χ^2$ analysis of the ZEUS and H1 cross sections, when combined with constraints on the pion flux from Drell-Yan data, allows regions of applicability of one-pion exchange to be delineated. The analysis disfavors several models of the pion flux used in the literature, and yields an improved extraction of the pion structure function and its uncertainties at parton momentum fractions in the pion of $4 \times 10^{…
Backward-angle meson electroproduction above the resonance region, which was previously ignored, is anticipated to offer unique access to the three quark plus sea component of the nucleon wave function. In this letter, we present the first complete separation of the four electromagnetic structure functions above the resonance region in exclusive omega electroproduction off the proton, e + p -> e' + p + omega, at central Q^2 values of 1.60, 2.45 GeV^2 , at W = 2.21 GeV. The results of our pioneering -u ~ -u min study demonstrate the existence of a unanticipated backward-angle cross section peak…
Hard exclusive electroproduction of $ω$ mesons is studied with the HERMES spectrometer at the DESY laboratory by scattering 27.6 GeV positron and electron beams off a transversely polarized hydrogen target. The amplitudes of five azimuthal modulations of the single-spin asymmetry of the cross section with respect to the transverse proton polarization are measured. They are determined in the entire kinematic region as well as for two bins in photon virtuality and momentum transfer to the nucleon. Also, a separation of asymmetry amplitudes into longitudinal and transverse components is done. The…
We study the beam single-spin asymmetries $A_{LU}^{\sinϕ_h}$ for charged hadrons produced in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering process, by considering the $e H_1^\perp$ term and the $g^\perp D_1$ term simultaneously. Besides the asymmetries for charged pions, for the first time we present the analysis on the asymmetries in the production of charged kaons, protons and antiprotons by longitudinally polarized leptons scattered off unpolarized proton and deuteron targets. In our calculation we use two sets of transverse momentum dependent distributions $g^\perp(x,\bm k_T^2)$ and $e(x,\bm k_…
We use recent results for the gamma*L -> rhoL and gamma*T -> rhoT impact factors, computed in the impact parameter representation within the collinear factorization scheme, to get predictions for the polarized cross-sections sigmaT and sigmaL of the diffractive leptoproduction of the rho meson at high energy. In this approach the helicity amplitude is a convolution of the scattering amplitude of a color dipole with a target, together with the virtual gamma wave function and with the first moments of the rho meson wave function (in the transverse momentum space), given by the distribution ampli…
