No Arabic abstract
Precise measurements of the single spin asymmetry, $A_N$ and the double spin asymmetry, $A_{NN}$, in proton-proton (textit{pp}) elastic scattering in the region of four-momentum transfer squared $0.001 < -t < 0.032 ({rm GeV}/c)^2$ have been performed using a polarized atomic hydrogen gas jet target and the RHIC polarized proton beam at 24 GeV/$c$ and 100 GeV/$c$. The polarized gaseous proton target allowed us to achieve the measurement of $A_{NN}$ in the CNI region for the first time. Our results of $A_N$ and $A_{NN}$ provide significant constraints to determine the magnitude of poorly known hadronic single and double spin-flip amplitudes at this energy.
The Polarized Atomic Hydrogen Gas Jet Target polarimeter is employed by the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) to measure the absolute polarization of each colliding proton beam. Polarimeter detectors and data acquisition were upgraded in 2015 to increase solid angle, energy range and energy resolution. These upgrades and advanced systematic error analysis along with improved beam intensity and polarization in RHIC runs 2015 ($E_textrm{beam}=100,text{GeV}$) and 2017 ($255,text{GeV}$) allowed us to greatly reduce the statistical and systematic uncertainties for elastic spin asymmetries, $A_N(t)$ and $A_NN(t)$, in the Coulomb-nuclear interference momentum transfer range $0.0013<-t<0.018,text{GeV}^2$. For the first time hadronic single spin-flip $r_5$ and double spin-flip $r_2$ amplitude parameters were reliably isolated at these energies and momentum transfers. Measurements at two beam energies enable a separation of Pomeron and Regge pole contributions to $r_5(s)$ and $r_2(s)$, indicating that the spin component may persist at high energies.
We estimate the target-normal single-spin asymmetry at nearly forward angles in elastic electron-nucleon scattering. In the leading-order approximation, this asymmetry is proportional to the imaginary part of the two-photon exchange (TPE) amplitude, which can be expressed as an integral over the doubly virtual Compton scattering (VVCS) tensor. We develop a model that parametrizes the VVCS tensor for the case of nearly forward scattering angles. Our parametrization ensures a proper normalization of the imaginary part of the TPE amplitude on the well-known forward limit expression, which is given in terms of nucleon structure functions measurable in inelastic electron-nucleon scattering experiments. We discuss applicability limits of our theory and provide target-normal single-spin asymmetry predictions for both elastic electron-proton and electron-neutron scattering.
Quasi-elastic electron scattering on the deuteron is a benchmark reaction to test our understanding of deuteron structure and the properties and interactions of the two nucleons bound in the deuteron. The experimental data presented here can be used to test state-of-the-art models of the deuteron and the two-nucleon interaction in the final state after two-body breakup of the deuteron. Focusing on polarization degrees of freedom, we gain information on spin-momentum correlations in the deuteron ground state (due to the D-state admixture) and on the limits of the Impulse Approximation (IA) picture as it applies to measurements of spin-dependent observables like spin structure functions for bound nucleons. We measured the beam-target double spin asymmetry for quasi-elastic electron scattering off the deuteron at several beam energies using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The deuterons were polarized along (or opposite to) the beam direction. The double spin asymmetries were measured as a function of photon virtuality , missing momentum, and the angle between the (inferred) spectator neutron and the momentum transfer direction. The results are compared with a recent model that includes Final State Interactions (FSI) using a complete parameterization of nucleon-nucleon scattering, as well as a simplified model using the Plane Wave Impulse Approximation (PWIA). We find overall good agreement with both the PWIA and FSI expectations at low to medium missing momenta, including the change of the asymmetry due to the contribution of the deuteron D-state at higher momenta. At the highest missing momenta, our data clearly agree better with the calculations including FSI.
Solid ammonia (NH$_3$) is commonly used as a dynamically polarized proton target for electron and muon scattering cross-section asymmetry measurements. As spin 1$^{+}$ particles, the $^{14}$N nuclei in the target are also polarized and contribute a non-trivial asymmetry background that should be addressed. We describe here a method to extract the nitrogen contribution to the asymmetry, and report the cross-section asymmetries of electron-nitrogen scattering at beam energies of $E=1.7$ GeV and $E=2.2$ GeV, and momentum transfer of $Q^{2}=0.023-0.080$ GeV$^{2}$.
Double-spin asymmetries in exclusive electroproduction of real photons from a transversely polarized hydrogen target are measured with respect to the product of target polarization with beam helicity and beam charge, and with respect to the product of target polarization with beam helicity alone. The asymmetries arise from the deeply virtual Compton scattering process and its interference with the Bethe--Heitler process. They are related to the real part of the same combination of Compton form factors as that determining the previously published transverse target single-spin asymmetries through the imaginary part. The results for the double-spin asymmetries are found to be compatible with zero within the uncertainties of the measurement, and are not incompatible with the predictions of the only available GPD-based calculation.