The COMPASS experiment at CERN is dedicated to light hadron spectroscopy with emphasis on the detection of new states, in particular the search for spin exotic states and glueballs. After a short pilot run in 2004 (190 GeV/c $π^{-}$ beam, Pb target) showing significant production strength of an exotic $J^{PC}=1^{-+}$ state at 1.66\,GeV/${\rm c^2}$, we have collected data with 190 GeV/c hadron beams on a liquid hydrogen target in 2008/09. The spectrometer features good coverage by calorimetry and our data provide excellent opportunity for simultaneous observation of new states in different decay modes. The diffractively produced $(3π)^{-}$ system for example can be studied in both modes $π^{-}p \rightarrow π^{-}π^{+}π^{-}p$ and $π^{-}~p \rightarrow π^{-}π^{0}π^{0}~p$. Reconstruction of charged and neutral mode rely on completely different parts of the apparatus. Observation of new st ates in both modes provides important checks. The results on diffractive dissociation into 3$π$ final states from the 2004 data recently published are discussed as well as the first comparison of neutral vs. charged mode based on a first partial wave analysis of 2008 data.
The COMPASS experiment at CERN SPS will use hadron beams (pion, kaon and proton) and muons at 50-280 GeV/c and virtual photon targets to investigate, via Primakoff effect, important hadron properties: polarizability, chiral anomaly, radiative transitions and hybrid meson production. We present simulation studies to optimize the beam, detector setup and trigger for measuring with high statistics above topics.
We describe a hadron physics program attainable with a partially instrumented CERN COMPASS spectrometer, involving tracking detectors and moderate-size ECAL2/HCAL2 calorimeters. COMPASS can realize a state-of-the-art hadron beam physics program based on hadron polarizability, hybrid mesons, chiral anomaly, and meson radiative transition studies. We review here the physics motivation for this hadron beam program. We describe the beam, detector, trigger requirements, and hardware/software requirements for this program. The triggers for all this physics can be implemented for simultaneous data ta…
The aim of the COMPASS hadron programme is to study the light-quark hadron spectrum, and in particular, to search for evidence of hybrids and glueballs. COMPASS is a fixed-target experiment at the CERN SPS and features a two-stage spectrometer with high momentum resolution, large acceptance, particle identification and calorimetry. A short pilot run in 2004 resulted in the observation of a spin-exotic state with $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ consistent with the debated $\pi1(1600)$. In addition, Coulomb production at low momentum transfer data provide a test of Chiral Perturbation Theory. During 2008 and …
The study of transverse spin and transverse momentum effects is an important part of the scientific program of COMPASS, a fixed target experiment at the CERN SPS taking data since 2002. The studies are carried on by measuring the hadrons produced in deep inelastic scattering (DIS) of 160 GeV/c muons off different targets. Among the possible asymmetries in the hadron azimuthal distributions, particularly interesting are the Collins and Sivers asymmetries which the COMPASS Collaboration has measured using transversely polarised deuteron and proton targets. The new results for charged pions and k…
Transverse spin physics is an important part of the scientific programme of the COMPASS experiment at CERN. The analysis of the data taken with the target polarized orthogonally to the 160 GeV/c muon beam momentum has allowed to measure for the first time the Collins and Sivers asymmetries of the deuteron. Both for the positive and the negative hadrons produced in semi-inclusive DIS the measured asymmetries are small and, within errors, compatible with zero. New results for charged pions and kaons are presented here.
The new COMPASS Delta G/G result obtained from high transverse momentum hadron pairs in the Q^2>1 GeV^2 region is presented. Comparing to the previous analysis in this region the statistical error of Delta G/G is reduced by a factor 3 to 0.10. A weighted method of the Delta G/G measurement based on neural network approach is used. In addition, the formula for the Delta G/G extraction used in the analysis has been updated. The contributions coming from the leading order and QCD Compton processes are no longer neglected.
At the COMPASS experiment, diffractive dissociation of the beam proton is one of the dominant processes for the 190GeV/c positive hadron beam impinging on a liquid hydrogen target. The status of the analysis of the reactions pp -> p_f pi^+ pi^- p_s and pp -> p_f K^+ K^- p_s is presented, where dominant features of the light-baryon spectrum become clearly visible. Furthermore, partial-wave analysis techniques to disentangle these spectra are discussed.
The COMPASS experiment at the CERN SPS investigates the structure and spectrum of hadrons by scattering high energetic hadrons and polarised muons off various fixed targets. During the years 2002-2007, COMPASS focused on nucleon spin physics using 160 GeV/c polarised $μ^+$ beams on polarised deuteron and proton targets, including measurements of the gluon contribution to the nucleon spin using longitudinal target polarisation as well as studies of transverse spin effects in the nucleon on a transversely polarised target. One major goal of the physics programme using hadron beams is the search …
COMPASS is a multi-purpose fixed-target experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron aimed at studying the structure and spectrum of hadrons. One primary goal is the search for new hadronic states, in particular spin-exotic mesons and glueballs. We present recent results of partial-wave analyses of (3π)^- and π^-η' final states based on a large data set of diffractive dissociation of a 190 GeV/c π^- beam on a proton target in the squared four-momentum-transfer range 0.1 < t' < 1 (GeV/c)^2. We also show first results from a partial-wave analysis of diffractive dissociation of K^- into K^-π^+…
Measuring single spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering (SIDIS) on a transversely polarized target gives a handle to investigate the transversity distribution and transverse momentum dependent distribution functions. In the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 COMPASS took data with a transversely polarized deuteron target and in the year 2007 with a proton target. Three channels for accessing transversity have been analysed. Azimuthal asymmetries in the production of hadron pairs, involving the polarized two hadron interference fragmentation function, azimuthal asymmetries in the p…
A new preliminary result of a gluon polarisation ΔG/G obtained selecting high transverse momentum hadron pairs in DIS events with Q^2>1 (GeV/c)^2 is presented. Data has been collected by COMPASS at CERN during the 2002-2004 years. In the extraction of $ΔG/G$ contributions coming from the leading order $γq$ and QCD processes are taken into account. A new weighting method based on a neural network approach is used. Also a preliminary result of ΔG/G for events with Q^2<1 (GeV/c)^2 is presented.
The COMPASS experiment at CERN is well designed for light-hadron spectroscopy with emphasis on the detection of new states, in particular the search for $J^{PC}$-exotic states and glueballs. We have collected data with 190 GeV/c charged hadron beams on a liquid hydrogen and nuclear targets in 2008/09. The spectrometer features good coverage by electromagnetic calorimetry and a RICH detector further provides $π$ / $K$ separation, allowing for studying final states involving neutral particles like $π^0$ or $η$ as well as hidden strangeness, respectively. We discuss the status of ongoing analyses…
One of the goals of COMPASS experiment is the determination of the gluon polarisation, ΔG/G, for a deep understanding of the spin structure of the nucleon. The gluon polarisation can be measured via the Photon-Gluon-Fusion (PGF) process. One of the methods to identify this process is selecting high p_T hadron pairs in the final state. The data used for this analysis were collected by the COMPASS experiment during the years 2002 to 2006, using a 160 GeV naturally polarised positive muon beam impinging on a polarised nucleon target. A new result of ΔG/G from high p_T hadron pairs in events with …
New results on single spin asymmetries of identified charged pion and kaon pairs produced in deep-inelastic scattering of muons on a transversely polarized 6LiD target are presented. The data were taken in the years 2003 and 2004 with the COMPASS spectrometer at CERN with a 160 GeV muon beam from the CERN SPS accelerator. The asymmetries can be interpreted in the context of transversity as a convolution of the chiral-odd interference fragmentation function $H_1^\sphericalangle$ with the transverse spin distribution of quarks $Δ_Tq(x)$. The measured azimuthal target spin asymmetries on the deut…
One of the goals of the COMPASS experiment is the determination of the gluon polarisation ΔG/G, for a deep understanding of the spin structure of the nucleon. In DIS the gluon polarisation can be measured via the Photon-Gluon-Fusion (PGF) process, identified by open charm production or by selecting high p_T hadron pairs in the final state. The data used for this work were collected by the COMPASS experiment during the years 2002-2004, using a 160 GeV naturally polarised positive muon beam scattering on a polarised nucleon target. A new preliminary result of the gluon polarisation ΔG/G from hig…
The investigation of transverse spin and transverse momentum effects in deep inelastic scattering is one of the key physics programs of the COMPASS collaboration. Three channels have been analyzed at COMPASS to access the transversity distribution function: The azimuthal distribution of single hadrons, involving the Collins fragmentation function, the azimuthal dependence of the plane containing hadron pairs, involving the two-hadron interference fragmentation function, and the measurement of the transverse polarization of Lambda hyperons in the final state. Azimuthal asymmetries in unpolarize…
The COMPASS experiment makes use of the CERN SPS high-intensitymuon and hadron beams for the investigation of the nucleon spin structure and the spectroscopy of hadrons. One or more outgoing particles are detected in coincidence with the incoming muon or hadron. A large polarized target inside a superconducting solenoid is used for the measurements with the muon beam. Outgoing particles are detected by a two-stage, large angle and large momentum range spectrometer. The setup is built using several types of tracking detectors, according to the expected incident rate, required space resolution a…
We introduce the sandwich veto detector that was built for the 2008 and 2009 hadron runs of the COMPASS experiment at CERN. During these beamtimes it was serving as a veto detector for neutral and charged particles outside the spectrometer acceptance, mostly thought to originate from reactions which excited the target. We also present first mass spectra from $π^-(190\,\GeV) p \to π^- \Kshort \Kshort p$ that were measured in the 2008 hadron run.
COMPASS is a multi-purpose fixed-target experiment at CERN's M2 beam line aimed at studying the structure and spectrum of hadrons. It has collected the so far world's largest data set on diffractive production of the $K^-π^-π^+$ final state, which in principle gives access to all strange mesons. Based on this data set, we performed an elaborate partial-wave analysis. It reveals signals in the mass region of well-known states, such as the $K_2^*(1430)$. In addition, we found indications for a resonance-like signal in the mass region of the $K(1630)$. This state would be a supernumerary state an…
COMPASS is a new fixed target experiment presently in operation at CERN. It has the goal to investigate hadron structure and hadron spectroscopy by using either muon or hadron beams. From measurements of various hadron asymmetries in polarized muon - nucleon scattering it will be possible to determine the contribution of the gluons to the nucleon spin. Main objective of the hadron program is the search of exotic states, and glueballs in particular. This physics programme is carried out with a two-stage magnetic spectrometer, with particle identification and calorimetry in both stages, which ha…
By measuring transverse single spin asymmetries one has access to the transversity distribution function $Δ_T q(x)$ and the transverse momentum dependent Sivers function $q_0^T(x,\vec{k}_T)$. New measurements from identified hadrons and hadron pairs, produced in deep inelastic scattering of a transversely polarized $^6LiD$ target are presented. The data were taken in 2003 and 2004 by the COMPASS collaboration using the muon beam of the CERN SPS at 160 GeV/c, resulting in small asymmetries.
The COMPASS Collaboration measured the transverse momentum dependent multiplicities of charged hadrons produced in Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) off unpolarized protons. Complementing previous COMPASS measurements obtained with an isoscalar target, the data have been collected in 2016 and 2017 with 160 GeV/$c$ muon beams and a liquid hydrogen target. The multiplicities are studied as a function of the square of the hadron transverse momentum with respect to the virtual photon direction $P_{hT}^2$ in bins of the Bjorken variable $x$, of the photon virtuality $Q^2$ and of the fraction $z$ of t…
New results on single spin asymmetries of charged hadrons produced in deep-inelastic scattering of muons on a transversely polarised LiD target are presented. The data were taken in the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 with the COMPASS spectrometer using the muon beam of the CERN SPS at 160 GeV/c. Preliminary results are given for the Sivers asymmetry and for all the three ``quark polarimeters'' presently used in COMPASS to measure the transversity distributions. The Collins and the Sivers asymmetries for charged hadrons turn out to be compatible with zero, within the small (~1%) statistical errors, …
COMPASS is a fixed target experiment at CERN investigating the spin structure of the nucleon and performing hadron spectroscopy. The transverse spin structure of the nucleon is studied in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of 160 GeV/c muons off a transversely polarized proton or deuteron target. In 2002-2005, a transversely polarized 6LiD, and in 2007 a transversely polarized NH3 target were used. To get access to the transversity distribution, different single-spin asymmetries have been measured: the Collins asymmetry, the hadron-pair asymmetry and the transverse lambda polarization. I…
The COMPASS Experiment at the CERN SPS has a broad physics program focused on the nucleon spin structure and on hadron spectroscopy, using muon and hadron beams. Main objectives for the spin program with the muon beam are the direct measurement of the gluon contribution to the spin of the nucleon, semi-inclusive measurements, and the measurement of the transverse spin distribution $Δ_T q$. The COMPASS apparatus consists of a two-stage large acceptance spectrometer designed for high data rates and equipped with high-resolution tracking, particle identification and electromagnetic and hadronic c…
The $Z_{c}(3900)$ hadron state has been found by the BES-III and Belle experiments in the decay of the hadron state with higher mass. The first attempt to search for the direct exclusive production of the $Z_c^{\pm}(3900)$ hadron by virtual photons has been performed in the reaction $μ^+ N \rightarrow μ^+ N' Z_c(3900)^{\pm} \rightarrow μ^+ N' J/ψπ^{\pm}$ at COMPASS \cite{Adolph:2014hba}. The data cover the range from 7~GeV to 19~GeV in the centre-of-mass energy of the photon-nucleon system. The full COMPASS data set collected with a muon beam between 2002 and 2011 has been used. An upper limit…
One of the key objectives of the COMPASS experiment at CERN is the determination of the gluon contribution to the nucleon spin. The gluon polarization is measured via photon-gluon fusion in deep-inelastic scattering of 160 GeV/c polarized muons on a polarized 6LiD solid-state target. Photon-gluon fusion is tagged by the observation of charmed mesons or the production of hadron pairs with large transverse momenta p_t. The status of the analysis of the D0 and D0* events and of the high-p_t hadron pairs is shown. The gluon polarization ΔG/G has been determined from the asymmetry of high-p_t hadro…
Experimental data for integrated kaon multiplicities taken at HERMES and COMPASS measurements look incompatible with each other. In this talk, we investigate the effects of hadron masses calculated at leading-order and leading twist at the kinematics of these two experiments. We present evidence that Hadron Mass Corrections can fully reconcile the data for the $K^+/K^-$ multiplicity ratio, and can also sizeably reduce the apparent large discrepancy in the case of $K^+ + K^-$ data. Residual differences in the shape of the latter one remains to be understood.
The COMPASS experiment has obtained first physics results in the field of polarized distribution functions for quarks and gluons using muon scattering off polarized deuterons. The analysis using open charm production and pairs of high $p_T$ hadrons is presented. We also have used a transversely polarized target to address transverse information for quarks inside the nucleon. In addition, a pilot run with incoming pions taken late 2004 will give first information on the pion polarizabilities and hadron resonances. The physics prospects from this run as well as from future data taking in this fi…
In this review a first comprehensive study of azimuthal asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep inelastic muoproduction of hadron pairs off longitudinally polarized protons at COMPASS is presented. The study is based on data taken in 2007 and 2011, obtained by impinging a high-energetic $μ^+$ beam of $160$ GeV/$\it{c}$, respectively $200$ GeV/$\it{c}$, momentum on a solid ammonia target. The discussion is focused on both leading and subleading longitudinal target-spin-dependent asymmetries arising in the di-hadron SIDIS cross section, addressing the role of spin-orbit couplings and quark-gluon corr…
The COMPASS fixed-target experiment at the CERN-SPS studies the structure and spectrum of hadrons. One important goal using hadron beams is the search for new states, in particular spin-exotic mesons and glueballs. As a first input to the puzzle, COMPASS observed a significant $J^{PC}$ spin-exotic signal in the 2004 pilot run data (190\,GeV/$c$ $π^{-}$ beam, Pb target) in three charged pion final states consistent with the disputed $π_1(1600)$. We started our hadron spectroscopy programme in 2008 by collecting very high statistics using a 190 GeV/$c$ negative pion beam scattered off a liquid h…
Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of strong interactions, in principle describes the interaction of quark and gluon fields. However, due to the self-coupling of the gluons, quarks and gluons are confined into hadrons and cannot exist as free particles. The quantitative understanding of this confinement phenomenon, which is responsible for about 98\% of the mass of the visible universe, is one of the major open questions in particle physics. The measurement of the excitation spectrum of hadrons and of their properties gives valuable input to theory and phenomenology. In the Constituent Q…
The COMPASS experiment at the CERN-SPS studies the spectrum and the structure of hadrons by scattering high energy hadrons and polarised muons off various fixed targets. Recent results for the hadron programme comprise highlights from different topics. A selective overview is given and, among others, the following results are discussed. The precise determination of the pion polarisability, a long standing puzzle that has been solved now, is presented as well as measurements of radiative widths. The observation of a new narrow axial-vector state, the $a_1(1420)$, as well as deeper insights into…
The COMPASS fixed-target experiment at the CERN SPS is dedicated to the study of hadron structure and dynamics. One goal of the physics programme using hadron beams is the search for new states, in particular the search for $J^{PC}$ exotic states and glueballs. After a short pilot run in 2004 (190 GeV/c $π^{-}$ beam, lead target), we started our hadron spectroscopy programme in 2008 by collecting unprecedented statistics using 190 GeV/c negative hadron beams on a liquid hydrogen target. A similar amount of data with 190 GeV/c positive hadron beams has been taken in 2009, as well as some data (…
The COMPASS fixed-target experiment at CERN SPS is dedicated to the study of hadron structure and dynamics. In the physics programme using hadron beams, the focus is on the detection of new states, in particular the search for $J^{PC}$ exotic states and glueballs. After a short pilot run in 2004 (190 GeV/c negative pion beam, lead target), we started our hadron spectroscopy programme in 2008 by collecting an unprecedented statistics with a negative hadron beam (190 GeV/c) on a liquid hydrogen target. A similar amount of data with positive hadron beam (190 GeV/c) has been taken in 2009, as well…
The study of transverse spin effects is part of the scientific program of COMPASS, a fixed target experiment at the CERN SPS. COMPASS investigates the transversity PDFs in semi-inclusive DIS, using a longitudinally polarized muon beam of 160 GeV/c impinging on a transversely polarized target. From 2002 to 2004, data have been collected using a $^6$LiD target transversely polarized. Transversity has been measured using different quark polarimeters: the azimuthal distribution of single hadrons, the azimuthal dependence of the plane containing hadron pairs, and the measurement of the transverse p…
The COMPASS experiment is a fixed target experiment at the CERN SPS using muon and hadron beams for the investigation of the spin structure of the nucleon and hadron spectroscopy. The main objective of the muon physics program is the study of the spin of the nucleon in terms of its constituents, quarks and gluons. COMPASS has accumulated data during 6 years scattering polarized muons off a longitudinally or a transversely polarized deuteron (6LiD) or proton (NH3) target. Results for the gluon polarization are obtained from longitudinal double spin cross section asymmetries using two different …
We present first results of a partial wave analysis of the diffractive reaction $π- Pb \to π- π+ π- Pb$ based on data from the COMPASS experiment taken during a pilot run in 2004 using a 190 GeV/c $π-$ beam on a lead target. The analysis was performed in the region of squared four-momentum transfer $t'$ between 0.1 and 1.0 (GeV/c)^2. The $π- π+ π-$ final state shows a rich spectrum of well-known resonances. In addition a spin-exotic $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ state with significant intensity was observed at 1.66 GeV/c^2 in the $ρ(770) π$ decay channel in natural parity exchange. The resonant nature of …
Hadrons proceeding from quasi-real photo-production are one of the many probes accesible at the Common Muon Proton Apparatus for Structure and Spectroscopy (COMPASS) at CERN. These hadrons provide information on the scattering between photon and partons through γ-gluon(g) direct channels as well as q-g resolved processes. Comparisons of unpolarized differential cross section measurements to next-to-leading order (NLO) pQCD calculations are essential to develop our understanding of proton-proton and lepton-nucleon scattering at varying center of mass energies. These measurements are important t…
The COmmon Muon and Proton Apparatus for Structure and Spectroscopy (COMPASS) is a multi-purpose fixed-target experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) aimed at studying the structure and spectrum of hadrons. In the naive Constituent Quark Model (CQM) mesons are bound states of quarks and antiquarks. QCD, however, predict the existence of hadrons beyond the CQM with exotic properties interpreted as excited glue (hybrids) or even pure gluonic bound states (glueballs). One main goal of COMPASS is to search for these states. Particularly interesting are so called spin-exotic mesons wh…
COMPASS is a fixed-target experiment at CERN SPS which focused on light-quark hadron spectroscopy during the data taking in 2008 and 2009. A world-leading data set was collected with a 190GeV/c hadron beam impinging on a liquid hydrogen target in order to study the central production of glueball candidates. In this report, we motivate double-Pomeron exchange as a relevant production process for mesons without valence quark content. We select a centrally produced sample from the COMPASS data set recorded with a proton beam and introduce a decomposition into partial waves. Particular attention i…
COMPASS is a fixed-target experiment at the CERN SPS for the investigation of the structure and the dynamics of hadrons. The experimental setup features a large acceptance and high momentum resolution spectrometer including particle identification and calorimetry and is therefore ideal to access a broad range of different final states. Following the promising observation of a spin-exotic resonance during an earlier pilot run, COMPASS focused on light-quark hadron spectroscopy during the years 2008 and 2009. A data set, world leading in terms of statistics and resolution, has been collected wit…
Measurements of the gluon polarization $\frac{ΔG}{G}$ via the open charm channel and based on the helicity asymmetry of large transverse-momentum hadrons in the final state are presented. The data have been collected in the years 2002-2004 by the COMPASS experiment at CERN using a 160 GeV/c polarized muon beam scattered off a polarized $^6$LiD target. The new result for $\frac{ΔG}{G}$ from the charm channel is $-0.57 \pm 0.41 (stat.)$ at $x_G \simeq 0.15$ and scale $μ^2 \simeq 13 $ (GeV/c)$^2$. The gluon polarization from high-$p_T$ hadron pairs is $\frac{ΔG}{G} = 0.016\pm 0.058 (stat.)\pm 0.0…
Transverse spin physics is an important part of the scientific programme of the COMPASS experiment at CERN, which started taking data in 2002, scattering 160 GeV/c muon beam on a polarized $^6$LiD target. The analysis of the data taken with the target polarized orthogonally to the muon beam direction has allowed to measure for the first time the Collins and Sivers asymmetries of the deuteron. Both for the positive and the negative hadrons produced in semi-inclusive DIS the measured asymmetries are small and, within errors, compatible with zero: results on part of the accumulated statistics hav…
COMPASS is a multi-purpose fixed-target experiment at CERN aimed at studying the structure and spectrum of hadrons. It has collected the so far world's largest data set on diffractive production of the $K^-π^-π^+$ decay, which in principle gives access to all kaon states. We performed an elaborate partial-wave analysis, using model-selection techniques to select the wave set based on a large systematically constructed pool of allowed partial waves. The partial-wave decomposition reveals signals in the mass region of well-known states, such as $K_1(1270)$ and $K_1(1400)$. In addition, we observ…
COMPASS is a multi-purpose fixed-target experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron investigating the structure and spectrum of hadrons. One primary goal is the search for new hadronic states, in particular spin-exotic mesons and glueballs. After a short pilot run in 2004 with a 190 GeV/c $π^-$ beam on a Pb target, which showed a significant spin-exotic $J^{PC} = 1^{-+}$ resonance consistent with the controversial $π_1(1600)$, COMPASS collected large data samples with negative and positive hadron beams on H$_2$, Ni, W, and Pb targets in 2008 and 2009. We present results from a partial-wave…
Azimuthal asymmetries measured in unpolarized semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering bring important information on the inner structure of the nucleons, and can be used both to estimate the average quark transverse momentum k_T and to access the so-far unmeasured Boer-Mulders functions. COMPASS results using part of the 2004 data collected with a 6LiD target and a 160 GeV positive muon beam are presented separately for positive and negative hadrons.
A first evaluation of the polarized valence quark distribution $Δu_v(x)+Δd_v(x)$ from the COMPASS experiment (CERN/SPS) is presented. The data were collected by COMPASS in the years 2002--2004 using a 160 GeV polarized muon beam scattered off a large polarized $^6$LiD target and cover the range $1< Q^2 < 100$ GeV$^2$ and $0.006<x<0.7$. The analysis is based on the difference asymmetry, $A^{h^+ - h^-}$, for hadrons of opposite charges, which gives a direct access to the polarization of valence quarks.
One of the missing keys in the present understanding of the spin structure of the nucleon is the contribution from the gluons: the so-called gluon polarisation. This quantity can be determined in DIS through the photon-gluon fusion process, in which two analysis methods may be used: (i) identifying open charm events or (ii) selecting events with high p_T hadrons. The data used in the present work were collected in the COMPASS experiment, where a 160 GeV/c naturally polarised muon beam, impinging on a polarised nucleon fixed target is used. Preliminary results for the gluon polarisation from hi…
The Common Muon Proton Apparatus for Structure and Spectroscopy (COMPASS) at CERN with its use of beams of naturally polarized muons scattered of a polarized deuteron target, provides an environment of hard scattering between quasi-real photons and partons. Hard hadron quasi-real photo-production with polarized initial states is sensitive to the polarized gluon distribution $Δ$G through $γ$-gluon($g$) direct channels as well as $q$-$g$ resolved processes. Comparisons of unpolarized differential cross section measurements to next-to-leading order (NLO) pQCD calculations are essential to develop…
Hadron production in hard scattering reactions is described by the hadronization mechanism which combines quarks into final-state hadrons. Within the theoretical framework of leading-twist collinear QCD, the cross section for hadron production in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering can be factorized into a hard scattering cross section describing the hard interaction at the quark level calculable in perturbative QED, and non-perturbative universal functions: parton distribution functions which reflect the quark structure of initial-state hadrons and collinear fragmentation functions which…
The investigation of transverse spin and transverse momentum effects in the nucleon is one of the key physics programs of the COMPASS experiment at CERN. COMPASS investigates these effects scattering 160 GeV/c muons off a fixed NH3 or 6LiD target. The azimuthal asymmetries which appear in the cross-section of semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering on an unpolarized target have been measured. These asymmetries give insight into the intrinsic transverse momentum of the quarks in the nucleon by the Cahn effect and into a possible correlation between transverse momentum and transverse spin. New …
COMPASS is a high-energy physics experiment operating at the SPS at CERN. Wide physics program of the experiment comprises study of hadron structure and spectroscopy with high energy muon and hadrons beams. As for the muon-program, one of the important objectives of the COMPASS experiment is the exploration of the transverse spin structure of the nucleon via spin (in)dependent azimuthal asymmetries in single-hadron production in deep inelastic scattering of polarized leptons off transversely polarized target. For this purpose a series of measurements were made in COMPASS, using 160 GeV/c longi…
In 2016 and 2017, the COMPASS Collaboration at CERN collected a large sample of DIS events with a longitudinally polarized 160 GeV/c muon beam scattering off a liquid hydrogen target. Part of the collected data has been analyzed to extract preliminary results for the amplitudes of the modulations in the azimuthal angle of the charged hadrons and for their transverse-momentum distributions. These observables give relevant information for the study of the transverse momentum and spin structure of the nucleon. Similarly to the results obtained in COMPASS with a deuteron target, the azimuthal asym…
A sandwich detector composed of scintillator and steel-covered lead layers was introduced in the fixed-target COMPASS experiment at CERN for vetoing events not completely covered by the two-stage magnetic spectrometer. Wavelength shifting fibres glued into grooves in the scintillator tiles serve for fast read-out. Minimum ionizing particles impinging on the $2 \textrm{m} \times 2 \textrm{m}$ detector outside of a central hole, sparing the spectrometer's entry, are detected with a probability of 98%. The response to charged particles and photons is modeled in detail in Monte Carlo calculations.…
