A major part of the future COMPASS program is dedicated to the investigation of the nucleon structure through Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) and Deeply Virtual Meson Production (DVMP). COMPASS will measure DVCS and DVMP reactions with a high intensity muon beam of 160 GeV and a 2.5 m-long liquid hydrogen target surrounded by a new TOF system. The availability of muon beams with high energy and opposite charge and polarization will allow to access the Compton form factor related to the dominant GPD $H$ and to study the $x_{B}$-dependence of the $t$-slope of the pure DVCS cross section and to study nucleon tomography. Projections on the achievable accuracies and preliminary results of pilot measurements will be presented.
The 160 GeV polarised muon beam available at CERN, with positive or negative charge, makes COMPASS a unique place for GPD studies. The first GPD related COMPASS results come from exclusive vector meson production on transversely polarised protons and deuterons. The data were taken in 2003-2010 with large solid-state polarised targets, although without detection of recoil particles. Results on various transverse target spin dependent azimuthal asymmetries are presented and their relations to GPDs are discussed. The dedicated COMPASS GPD program started in 2012 with commissioning of a new long l…
This paper presents the reactions which can be performed at COMPASS to study the Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs). The high energy muon beam at CERN allows to measure Hard Exclusive Meson Production or Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) in the Bjorken regime in a large range of Q^2 and x_Bj (1.5<Q^2<7.5 GeV^2 and 0.03<x_Bj<0.25). Exploratory measurements dedicated to rho_0 or pi_0 production can be investigated with the present setup. DVCS measurement require an upgrade of the COMPASS setup.
Generalized parton distributions (GPDs) provide a new and powerful framework for a complete description of the nucleon structure. They can provide a three-dimensional picture of how the quarks and gluons form a nucleon. GPDs can be probed experimentally in hard exclusive meson production or deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS). The COMPASS experiment at CERN is a unique place to study these reactions. At COMPASS, a high energy polarized positive or negative muon beam is scattered off a polarized or unpolarized fixed target. First results for exclusive rho^0 meson production are shown. The …
At COMPASS DVCS and DVMP processes are studied in order to probe the partonic structure of the nucleon by constraining GPD models. Extending beyond semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering, the measurement of lepton-induced exclusive reactions enables the study of GPDs, which ultimately reveal the three dimensional picture of the nucleon and the decomposition of its total angular momentum. Exploiting the flavour filtering character of DVMP measurements, the COMPASS experiment is able to access different combinations of quark and gluon GPDs by determining the cross sections for various mesons. …
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…
A selection is presented of recent results from the COMPASS Collaboration on transverse spin and transverse momentum effects in semi-inclusive deeply inelastic scattering (SIDIS) of 160 GeV/c muons off proton and deuteron targets.
We give a partonic interpretation for the deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) measurements of the H1 and ZEUS collaborations in the small-x_B region in terms of generalized parton distributions. Thereby we have a closer look at the skewness effect, parameterization of the t-dependence, revealing the chromomagnetic pomeron, and at a model dependent access to the anomalous gravitomagnetic moment of nucleon. We also quantify the reparameterization of generalized parton distributions resulting from the inclusion of radiative corrections up to next-to-next-to-leading order. Beyond the leading …
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 fixed target experiment presently running at CERN. In 2002, 2003, and 2004 the experiment used a 160 GeV polarized muon beam coming from SPS and scattered off a $^6$LiD target. The nucleons in the target can be polarized either longitudinally or transversely with respect to the muon beam and 20% of the running time has been devoted to transverse polarization. From the transverse polarization data collected in 2002, which correspond to a total integrated luminosity of about 200 pb$^{-1}$, the Collins and the Sivers asymmetries have been determined separately and the preliminary res…
One of the important objectives of the COMPASS experiment is the exploration of transverse spin structure of nucleon via spin (in)dependent azimuthal asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) of polarized leptons (and soon also Drell-Yan (DY) reactions with $π^-$) off transversely polarized target. For this purpose a series of measurements were made in COMPASS, using 160 GeV/c longitudinally polarized muon beam and polarized $^6LiD$ and $NH_3$ targets and are foreseen with 190 GeV/c $π^-$ beam on polarized $NH_3$. The experimental results obtained by COMPASS for azimuthal…
In general, eight target transverse spin-dependent azimuthal modulations are allowed in semi inclusive deep inelastic scattering of polarized leptons on a transversely polarized target. In the QCD parton model four of these asymmetries can be interpreted within the leading order approach. Two of them, namely Collins and Sivers effects were already measured by HERMES and COMPASS experiments. Other two leading twist and remaining four azimuthal asymmetries which can be interpreted as twist-three contributions have been measured for the first time in COMPASS using a 160 GeV/c longitudinally polar…
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…
In semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering of polarized leptons on a transversely polarized target eight target transverse spin-dependent azimuthal modulations are allowed. In the QCD parton model half of these asymmetries can be interpreted within the leading order approach and the other four are twist-three contributions. The first two leading twist asymmetries extracted by HERMES and COMPASS experiments are related: one to the transversity distribution and the Collins effect, the other to the Sivers distribution function. These results triggered a lot of interest in the past few years and …
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…
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 …
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…
The production of Lambda and Lambda-bar hyperons by polarized muons of 160 GeV/c on a polarized 6LiD target has been studied using the COMPASS spectrometer. First preliminary results on the longitudinal polarization of Lambda and Lambda-bar hyperons produced in the deep-inelastic scattering will be presented for 2002 data set.
Production of $Λ$ and $\barΛ$ hyperons in deep-inelastic scattering of 160 GeV/c polarized muons is under study in the COMPASS (CERN NA58) experiment. Preliminary results on longitudinal polarization of the hyperons from the data collected during the 2002 run are presented.
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.
The exploration of the transverse spin structure of the nucleon by measuring spin (in)dependent azimuthal asymmetries in semi-inclusive DIS (SIDIS) and in Drell-Yan processes is one of the main objectives of the COMPASS experiment at CERN (SPS, M2 beamline). During the first phase of the experiment (2002-2011) a series of SIDIS measurements were performed, using a longitudinally polarized muon beam impinging on transversely polarized $^6$LiD or NH$_3$ targets. As a part of the COMPASS-II programme, in 2015 and 2018 the experiment performed Drell-Yan measurements with a $π^-$ beam interacting w…
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 "Physics Beyond Colliders (PBC)" study explores fundamental physics opportunities at the CERN accelerator complex complementary to collider experiments. Three new collaborations aim to exploit the M2 beamline in the North Area with existing high-intensity muon and hadron beams, but also aspire to go beyond the current M2 capabilities with a RF-separated, high intensity hadron beam, under study. The AMBER/COMPASS++ collaboration proposes an ambitious program with a measurement of the proton radius with muon beams, as well as QCD-related studies from pion PDFs / Drell-Yan to cross section me…
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, …
The COMPASS experiment at CERN is one of the leading experiments studying the nucleon spin structure. Until 2012 the Parton Distribution Functions and the Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distribution Functions (TMDs) were extensively studied at COMPASS using Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering measurements. In 2015, the Drell-Yan measurements with a negative pion beam interacting with a transversely polarized ammonia target have started and will be continued through 2018. The goal is to access the TMDs of both pions and protons without any prior knowledge about fragmentation function…
The COMPASS experiment will determine the gluon polarization in the nucleon $ΔG/G$ from the double helicity asymmetry measured in the scattering of a 160 GeV muon beam on a longitudinally polarized deuteron target, by selecting the photon-gluon fusion reaction. This reaction can be tagged either by the production of open charm, or by the production of high $p_T$ hadron pairs. The first asymmetry obtained with the latter method is presented.
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…
One of the important objectives of the COMPASS experiment (CERN, SPS north area) is the exploration of transverse spin structure of nucleon via study of spin (in)dependent azimuthal asymmetries with semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) processes and recently also with Drell-Yan (DY) reactions. In the past twelve years series of measurements were made in COMPASS, using 160 GeV/c longitudinally polarized muon beam and polarized $^6LiD$ and $NH_3$ targets. Drell-Yan measurements with high energy (190 GeV/c) pion beam and transversely polarized $NH_3$ target started in 2014 with a pilo…
The measurement of transverse spin effects in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering is an important part of the COMPASS physics program. In the years 2002-2004 data were taken by scattering a 160 GeV muon beam on a transversely polarized deuteron target. In 2007, additional data were collected on a transversely polarized proton target. New results for the Collins and Sivers asymmetries from the analysis of the proton data are presented.
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. For these studies a 160 GeV/c momentum muon beam is scattered on a transversely polarized nucleon target, and the scattered muon and the forward going hadrons produced in DIS processes are reconstructed and identified in a magnetic spectrometer. The measurements have been performed on a deuteron target in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and on a proton target in 2007 and 2010. The results obtained for the Collins and Sivers asymmetries from the…
Measurements of the longitudinal spin cross section asymmetry for deep inelastic muon-nucleon interactions with two high transverse momentum hadrons ($p_T >$ 0.7 GeV) in the final state are presented for SMC data for polarized proton and deuteron and for data on polarized deuteron from COMPASS taken in 2002 and 2003. The muon asymmetries determined with a cut on $Q^2>$ 1 GeV$^2$ in SMC are: $A_p = 0.03 \pm 0.057\pm 0.01$ and $A_d = 0.070 \pm 0.076 \pm 0.010$, respectively. From these values a gluon polarization $ΔG /G = -0.20\pm 0.28\pm 0.10$ was obtained at an average fraction of nucleon mome…
Successful realization of polarized Drell-Yan physics program is one of the main goals of the second stage of the COMPASS experiment. Drell-Yan measurements with high energy (190 GeV/c) pion beam and transversely polarized NH3 target have been initiated by a pilot-run in the October 2014 and will be followed by 140 days of data taking in 2015. In the past twelve years COMPASS experiment performed series of SIDIS measurements with high energy muon beam and transversely polarized deuteron and proton targets. Results obtained for Sivers effect and other target transverse spin dependent and unpola…
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.
COMPASS is a fixed-target experiment on the SPS M2 beamline at CERN. Its LiD target can be polarised both longitudinally and transversally with respect to the longitudinally polarised 160 GeV/c muon beam. Approximately 20% of the beam-time in 2002, 2003 and 2004 was spent in the transverse configuration, allowing the first measurement of both the Collins and Sivers asymmetries on a deuterium target. First results from the the transverse data of the COMPASS run in 2002 are reported here.
We describe a pion physics program attainable with the CERN COMPASS spectrometer, involving tracking detectors and an electromagnetic calorimeter. COMPASS can realize state-of-the-art pion beam hybrid meson and meson radiative transition studies. We review here the physics motivation for this program. We describe the beam, detector, trigger requirements, and hardware/software requirements for this program. The triggers for all this hybrid meson physics can be implemented for simultaneous data taking. We will investigate hybrid meson production via pion-photon Primakoff and pion-Pomeron diffrac…
Muon pairs created in the Drell-Yan process of a negative pion beam of 190 GeV/c momentum impinging on a transversely polarised NH$_3$ target were detected with the COMPASS spectrometer at CERN in 2015. In addition to the extraction of the transverse spin asymmetries (TSAs) from these data, a complementary analysis of the TSAs weighted by powers of the dimuon momentum $q_T$ has been performed and is presented in this paper. In the transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions (TMD PDFs) formalism, the $q_T$-weighted TSAs can be interpreted in terms of products of the TMD PDFs of …
New results for the transverse target spin azimuthal asymmetry A_{UT}^{sin(ϕ-ϕ_S)} for hard exclusive ρ^0-meson production on a transversely polarised ^6LiD and NH_3 target will be presented. The measurement was performed with the COMPASS detector using the 160 GeV/c muon beam of the SPS at CERN. The asymmetry is sensitive to the nucleon helicity-flip generalised parton distribution E, which is related to the orbital angular momentum of quarks in the nucleon.
One of the main goals of the COMPASS experiment at CERN is the determination of the gluon polarisation in the nucleon, DeltaG/G. It is extracted from the spin asymmetry in the scattering of a polarized 160 GeV muon beam on a polarized LiD target, by selecting photon-gluon fusion events. These events are tagged by the production of open charm or high pT hadron pairs. We present the results obtained for DeltaG/G(x) in both channels. For the first time, preliminary results of 2004 data in the high pT channel are also shown.
One of the important objectives of the COMPASS experiment (SPS, CERN) \cite{Abbon:2007pq} is the exploration of the transverse spin structure of the nucleon via spin dependent azimuthal asymmetries in single-hadron production in deep inelastic scattering of polarized leptons off transversely polarized targets. For this purpose a series of measurements were made in COMPASS, using 160 GeV/c longitudinally polarized muon beam and transversely polarized $^6LiD$ (in 2002, 2003 and 2004) and $NH_3$ (in 2007 and 2010) targets. In the past few years considerable theoretical interest and experimental e…
COMPASS is a fixed-target high energy physics experiment at the SPS at CERN \cite{Abbon:2007pq}. One of the important objectives of the experiment is the exploration of the transverse spin structure of the nucleon via spin 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 longitudinally polarized muon beam and transversely polarized $^6LiD$ (in 2002, 2003 and 2004) and $NH_3$ (in 2007 and 2010) targets. Till now main atte…
The nucleon spin structure is studied at COMPASS via the measurement of the spin dependent properties of deep inelastic muon-deuteron scattering. Both inclusive and semi-inclusive observables are investigated, with the emphasis put on the latter. This allows to access, in particular, the gluon polarization ($ΔG/G$) and the flavor decomposition of the quark helicity distributions. Results from measurements with longitudinal target polarization are presented, as well as uncertainties expected from the first 3 years of data taking.
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…
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.
COMPASS is a high-energy physics experiment operating on the M2 beam line at the SPS at CERN. Using high energy muon and hadron beams the experiment covers broad range of physics aspects in the field of the hadron structure and spectroscopy. One of the important objectives of the COMPASS experiment is the exploration of transverse spin structure of the nucleon via study of spin (in)dependent azimuthal asymmetries with semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) processes and starting from 2014 also with Drell-Yan (DY) reactions. Experimental results obtained by COMPASS for azimuthal effec…
The study of the spin structure of the nucleon and of the effects rising from the quarks transverse momentum are part of the scientific program of COMPASS, a fixed target experiment at the CERN SPS. The azimuthal asymmetries which appear in the cross-section of SIDIS off unpolarized targets can give insights on the intrinsic momentum structure of the nucleon and on the possible correlation between transverse spin and transverse momentum of the quarks. Here we present the new results for these asymmetries obtained from the COMPASS data collected with a 160 GeV/c positive muon beam impinging on …
COMPASS at CERN is preparing for a new series of measurements on the nucleon structure comprising deep virtual Compton scattering and hard exclusive meson production using muon beams, as well as Drell-Yan reactions using a polarised proton target and a negative pion beam. The former will mainly constrain the generalised parton distribution H and determine the transverse size of the nucleon, while the latter measurements will provide information on transverse-momentum dependent parton distribution functions. The projected results of the programme and the necessary hardware upgrades are discusse…
Search for azimuthal asymmetries in semi-inclusive production of charged hadrons by 160 GeV muons on the longitudinally polarized deuterium target, has been performed using the 2002- 2004 COMPASS data. The observed asymmetries integrated over the kinematical variables do not depend on the azimuthal angle of produced hadrons and are consistent with the ratio $g_1^d(x)/f_1^d(x)$. The asymmetries are parameterized taking into account possible contributions from different parton distribution functions and parton fragmentation functions depending on the transverse spin of quarks.They can be modulat…
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 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…
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…
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…
In semi-inclusive DIS of polarized leptons on a transversely polarized target eight azimuthal modulations appear in the cross-section. Within QCD parton model four azimuthal asymmetries can be interpreted at leading order, two of them being the already measured Collins and Sivers asymmetries. The other two leading twist asymmetries, related to different transverse momentum dependent quark distribution functions, and also additional four asymmetries which can be interpreted as twist-three contributions have been measured for the first time at COMPASS, using a 160 GeV/c longitudinally polarized …
The investigation of transverse spin and transverse momentum effects in deep inelastic scattering is one of the key physics programs of the COMPASS collaboration. In the years 2002-2004 COMPASS took data scattering 160 GeV muons on a transversely polarized 6LiD target. In 2007, a transversely polarized NH3 target was used. Three different channels to access the transversity distribution function have been analyzed: The azimuthal distribution of single hadrons, involving the Collins fragmentation function, the azimuthal dependence of the plane containing hadron pairs, involving the two-hadron i…
We present a preliminary measurement of the gluon polarization Delta G/G in the nucleon, based on the spin asymmetry of quasi-real photoproduction events for which a pair of large transverse momentum hadrons is produced. The data were obtained by the COMPASS experiment at CERN using a 160 GeV polarized muon beam scattered on a large polarized 6LiD target. The preliminary helicity asymmetry for the selected events is A_||/D = 0.002 +- 0.019(stat) +- 0.003(syst). From this value, a leading order analysis based on the model of PYTHIA leads to the gluon polarization in the nucleon Delta G/G(x_g=0.…
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 …
The investigation of transverse spin and transverse momentum effects in deep inelastic scattering is one of the key physics programs of the COMPASS collaboration. In the years 2002-2004 COMPASS took data scattering 160 GeV muons on a transversely polarized 6LiD target. In 2007, a transversely polarized NH3 target was used. Three different channels to access the transversity distribution function have been analyzed: The azimuthal distribution of single hadrons, involving the Collins fragmentation function, the azimuthal dependence of the plane containing hadron pairs, involving the two-hadron i…
New high precision measurements of the Collins and Sivers asymmetries of charged hadrons produced in deep-inelastic scattering of muons on a transversely polarised 6LiD target are presented. The data were taken in 2003 and 2004 with the COMPASS spectrometer using the muon beam of the CERN SPS at 160 GeV/c. Both the Collins and Sivers asymmetries turn out to be compatible with zero, within the present statistical errors, which are more than a factor of 2 smaller than those of the published COMPASS results from the 2002 data. The final results from the 2002, 2003 and 2004 runs are compared with …
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…
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…