No Arabic abstract
The Compton double-polarization observable $Sigma_{2z}$ has been measured for the first time in the $Delta(1232)$ resonance region using a circularly polarized photon beam incident on a longitudinally polarized target at the Mainz Microtron. This paper reports these results, together with the model-dependent extraction of four proton spin polarizabilities from fits to additional asymmetry data using dispersion relation and chiral perturbation theory calculations, with the former resulting in: $gamma_{E1E1} = -3.18 pm 0.52$, $gamma_{M1M1} = 2.98 pm 0.43$, $gamma_{E1M2} = -0.44 pm 0.67$ and $gamma_{M1E2} = 1.58 pm 0.43$, in units of $10^{-4}~mathrm{fm}^{4}$.
The spin polarizabilities of the nucleon describe how the spin of the nucleon responds to an incident polarized photon. The most model-independent way to measure the nucleon spin polarizabilities is through polarized Compton scattering. Double-polarized Compton scattering asymmetries on the proton were measured in the $Delta(1232)$ region using circularly polarized incident photons and a transversely polarized proton target at the Mainz Microtron. Fits to asymmetry data were performed using a dispersion model calculation and a baryon chiral perturbation theory calculation, and a separation of all four proton spin polarizabilities in the multipole basis was achieved. The analysis based on a dispersion model calculation yields $gamma_{E1E1} = -3.5 pm 1.2$, $gamma_{M1M1}= 3.16 pm 0.85$, $gamma_{E1M2} = -0.7 pm 1.2$, and $gamma_{M1E2} = 1.99 pm 0.29$, in units of $10^{-4}$ fm$^4$.
The Lambda polarization, the analyzing power, and the Lambda spin transfer coefficient of the reaction pp -> p K+ Lambda were measured at beam momenta of 2.70 GeV/c and 2.95 GeV/c, corresponding to excess energies of 122 MeV and 204 MeV. While the analyzing power and the spin transfer coefficient do not change significantly with the excess energy, the Lambda polarization varies strongly and changes its sign. As this is the first measurement of polarization observables below an excess energy of 200 MeV, the change of the sign of the Lambda polarization was not observed before. The high statistics of the data (~200 k events for each momentum) enables detailed studies of the dependence of the Lambda polarization and the analyzing power on the center of mass momentum of the particles. The results of the spin transfer coefficient are in qualitative agreement with the DISTO experiment. The Lambda polarization data of 2.95 GeV/c are only conform with the DISTO experiment, while both the 2.70 GeV/c and 2.95 GeV/c data differ strongly from all previous measurements, whether exclusive or inclusive.
One of the remaining problems within the standard model is to gain a good understanding of the low energy regime of QCD, where perturbative methods fail. One key towards a better understanding is baryon spectroscopy. Unfortunately, in the past most baryon spectroscopy data have been obtained only using $pi$ N scattering. To gain access to resonances with small $pi$ N partial width, photoproduction experiments, investigating various final states, provide essential information. In order to extract the contributing resonances, partial wave analyses need to be performed. Here, the complete experiment is required to unambiguously determine the contributing amplitudes. This involves the measurement of carefully chosen single and double polarization observables. The Crystal Barrel/TAPS experiment with a longitudinally or transversely polarized target and an energy tagged, linearly or circularly polarized photon beam allows the measurement of a large set of polarization observables. Due to its good energy resolution, high detection efficiency for photons, and the nearly complete solid angle coverage, it is ideally suited for the measurement of the photoproduction of neutral mesons decaying into photons. Preliminary results for the target asymmetry T, recoil polarization P and the double polarization observable H are discussed for $pi^{0}$ and $eta$ photoproduction off the proton.
Background: Generalized polarizabilities (GPs) are important observables to describe the nucleon structure, and measurements of these observables are still scarce. Purpose: This paper presents details of a virtual Compton scattering (VCS) experiment, performed at the A1 setup at the Mainz Microtron by studying the $e p to e p gamma$ reaction. The article focuses on selected aspects of the analysis. Method: The experiment extracted the $P_{LL} -P_{TT} / epsilon$ and $P_{LT}$ structure functions, as well as the electric and magnetic GPs of the proton, at three new values of the four-momentum transfer squared $Q^2$: 0.10, 0.20 and 0.45 GeV$^2$. Results: We emphasize the importance of the calibration of experimental parameters. The behavior of the measured $e p to e p gamma$ cross section is presented and compared to the theory. A detailed investigation of the polarizability fits reveals part of their complexity, in connection with the higher-order terms of the low-energy expansion. Conclusions: The presented aspects are elements which contribute to minimize the systematic uncertainties and improve the precision of the physics results.
Double-polarization observables in the reaction $vec{e}p rightarrow evec{p}gamma{}$ have been measured at $Q^2=0.33 (GeV/c)^2$. The experiment was performed at the spectrometer setup of the A1 Collaboration using the 855 MeV polarized electron beam provided by the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) and a recoil proton polarimeter. From the double-polarization observables the structure function $P_{LT}^perp$ is extracted for the first time, with the value $(-15.4 pm 3.3 (stat.)^{+1.5}_{-2.4} (syst.)) GeV^{-2}$, using the low-energy theorem for Virtual Compton Sattering. This structure function provides a hitherto unmeasured linear combination of the generalized polarizabilities of the proton.