No Arabic abstract
We measured the $g_1$ spin structure function of the deuteron at low $Q^{2}$, where QCD can be approximated with chiral perturbation theory ($chi$PT). The data cover the resonance region, up to an invariant mass of $Wapprox1.9$~GeV. The generalized Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum, the moment $bar{Gamma}_{1}^{d}$ and the integral $bar{I}_gamma^d$ related to the spin polarizability $gamma_{0}^{d}$ are precisely determined down to a minimum $Q^2$ of 0.02~GeV$^2$ for the first time, about 2.5 times lower than that of previous data. We compare them to several $chi$PT calculations and models. These results are the first in a program of benchmark measurements of polarization observables in the $chi$PT domain.
Measurements of the proton and deuteron $F_2$ structure functions are presented. The data, taken at Jefferson Lab Hall C, span the four-momentum transfer range $0.06 < Q^2 < 2.8$ GeV$^2$, and Bjorken $x$ values from 0.009 to 0.45, thus extending the knowledge of $F_2$ to low values of $Q^2$ at low $x$. Next-to-next-to-leading order calculations using recent parton distribution functions start to deviate from the data for $Q^2<2$ GeV$^2$ at the low and high $x$-values. Down to the lowest value of $Q^2$, the structure function is in good agreement with a parameterization of $F_2$ based on data that have been taken at much higher values of $Q^2$ or much lower values of $x$, and which is constrained by data at the photon point. The ratio of the deuteron and proton structure functions at low $x$ remains well described by a logarithmic dependence on $Q^2$ at low $Q^2$.
The spin structure functions g_1 for the proton and the deuteron have been measured over a wide kinematic range in x and Q2 using 1.6 and 5.7 GeV longitudinally polarized electrons incident upon polarized NH_3 and ND_3 targets at Jefferson Lab. Scattered electrons were detected in the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer, for 0.05 < Q^2 < 5 GeV^2 and W < 3 GeV. The first moments of g_1 for the proton and deuteron are presented -- both have a negative slope at low Q^2, as predicted by the extended Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule. The first result for the generalized forward spin polarizability of the proton gamma_0^p is also reported. This quantity shows strong Q^2 dependence at low Q^2, while Q^6gamma_0^p seems to flatten out at the highest Q^2 accessed by our experiment. Although the first moments of g_1 are consistent with Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) calculations up to approximately Q^2 = 0.06 GeV^2, a significant discrepancy is observed between the gamma_0^p data and ChPT for gamma_0^p, even at the lowest Q2.
We present the final results for the deuteron spin structure functions obtained from the full data set collected with Jefferson Labs CLAS in 2000-2001. Polarized electrons with energies of 1.6, 2.5, 4.2 and 5.8 GeV were scattered from deuteron ($^{15}$ND$_3$) targets, dynamically polarized along the beam direction, and detected with CLAS. From the measured double spin asymmetry, the virtual photon absorption asymmetry $A_1^d$ and the polarized structure function $g_1^d$ were extracted over a wide kinematic range (0.05 GeV$^2 < Q^2 <$ 5 GeV$^2$ and 0.9 GeV $< W <$ 3 GeV). We use an unfolding procedure and a parametrization of the corresponding proton results to extract from these data the polarized structure functions $A_1^n$ and $g_1^n$ of the (bound) neutron, which are so far unknown in the resonance region, $W < 2$ GeV. We compare our final results, including several moments of the deuteron and neutron spin structure functions, with various theoretical models and expectations as well as parametrizations of the world data. The unprecedented precision and dense kinematic coverage of these data can aid in future extractions of polarized parton distributions, tests of perturbative QCD predictions for the quark polarization at large $x$, a better understanding of quark-hadron duality, and more precise values for higher-twist matrix elements in the framework of the Operator Product Expansion.
We present new experimental results of the $^3$He spin structure function $g_2$ in the resonance region at $Q^2$ values between 1.2 and 3.0 (GeV/c)$^2$. Spin dependent moments of the neutron were then extracted. Our main result, the resonance contribution to the neutron $d_2$ matrix element, was found to be small at $<Q^2>$=2.4 (GeV/c)$^2$ and in agreement with the Lattice QCD calculation. The Burkhardt-Cottingham sum rule for $^3$He and the neutron was tested with the measured data and using the Wandzura-Wilczek relation for the low $x$ unmeasured region. A small deviation was observed at $Q^2$ values between 0.5 and 1.2 (GeV/c)$^2$ for the neutron.
The deuteron deep inelastic unpolarized structure function F_2^D is calculated using the Wilson operator product expansion method. The long distance behaviour, related to the deuteron bound state properties, is evaluated using the Bethe-Salpeter equation with one particle on mass shell. The calculation of the ratio F_2^D/F_2^N is compared with other convolution models showing important deviations in the region of large x. The implications in the evaluation of the neutron structure function from combined data on deuterons and protons are discussed.