A windowless and self-supporting ice target is described. An ice sheet with a thickness of 29.7 mg/cm$^2$ cooled by liquid nitrogen was placed at the target position of a magnetic spectrometer and worked stably in the $^{16}$O$(p,p)$ experiment at $E_{p}=392$ MeV. Background-free spectra were obtained.
The cross section of the ${}^{16}{rm O}(p,p){}^{16}{rm O}(0^-,T=1)$ scattering was measured at a bombarding energy of 295 MeV in the momentum transfer range of $1.0 mathrm{fm^{-1}}$ $le$ $q_{rm c.m.}$ $le$ $2.1 mathrm{fm^{-1}}$. The isovector $0^-$ state at $E_x$ = 12.8 MeV is clearly separated from its neighboring states owing to the high energy resolution of about 30 keV. The cross section data were compared with distorted wave impulse approximation (DWIA) calculations employing shell-model wave functions. The observed cross sections around $q_{rm c.m.}$ $simeq$ $1.7 {rm fm^{-1}}$ are significantly larger than predicted by these calculations, suggesting pionic enhancement as a precursor of pion condensation in nuclei. The data are successfully reproduced by DWIA calculations using random phase approximation response functions including the $Delta$ isobar that predict pionic enhancement.
Cross sections and polarization transfer observables in the $^{16}$O$(p,p)$ reactions at 392 MeV were measured at several angles between $theta_{lab}=$ 0$^circ$ and 14$^circ$. The non-spin-flip (${Delta}S=0$) and spin-flip (${Delta}S=1$) strengths in transitions to several discrete states and broad resonances in $^{16}$O were extracted using a model-independent method. The giant resonances in the energy region of $E_x=19-$27 MeV were found to be predominantly excited by ${Delta}L=1$ transitions. The strength distribution of spin-dipole transitions with ${Delta}S=1$ and ${Delta}L=1$ were deduced. The obtained distribution was compared with a recent shell model calculation. Experimental results are reasonably explained by distorted-wave impulse approximation calculations with the shell model wave functions.
The $^{15}{rm N}(p,gamma)^{16}{rm O}$ reaction provides a path from the CN cycle to the CNO bi-cycle and CNO tri-cycle. The measured astrophysical factor for this reaction is dominated by resonant capture through two strong $J^{pi}=1^{-}$ resonances at $E_{R}= 312$ and 962 keV and direct capture to the ground state. Recently, a new measurement of the astrophysical factor for the $^{15}{rm N}(p,gamma)^{16}{rm O}$ reaction has been published [P. J. LeBlanc {it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. The analysis has been done using the $R$-matrix approach with unconstrained variation of all parameters including the asymptotic normalization coefficient (ANC). The best fit has been obtained for the square of the ANC $C^{2}= 539.2$ fm${}^{-1}$, which exceeds the previously measured value by a factor of $approx 3$. Here we present a new $R$-matrix analysis of the Notre Dame-LUNA data with the fixed within the experimental uncertainties square of the ANC $C^{2}=200.34$ fm${}^{-1}$. Rather than varying the ANC we add the contribution from a background resonance that effectively takes into account contributions from higher levels. Altogether we present 8 fits, five unconstrained and three constrained. In all the fits the ANC is fixed at the previously determined experimental value $C^{2}=200.34$ fm${}^{-1}$. For the unconstrained fit with the boundary condition $B_{c}=S_{c}(E_{2})$, where $E_{2}$ is the energy of the second level, we get $S(0)=39.0 pm 1.1 $ keVb and normalized ${tilde chi}^{2}=1.84$, i.e. the result which is similar to [P. J. LeBlanc {it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. From all our fits we get the range $33.1 leq S(0) leq 40.1$ keVb which overlaps with the result of [P. J. LeBlanc {it et al.}, Phys. Rev. {bf C 82}, 055804 (2010)]. We address also physical interpretation of the fitting parameters.
We report measurements of the cross section and a complete set of polarization transfer observables for the ${}^{16}{rm O}(vec{p},vec{n}){}^{16}{rm F}$ reaction at a bombarding energy of $T_p$ = 296 MeV and a reaction angle of $theta_{rm lab}$ = $0^{circ}$. The data are compared with distorted-wave impulse approximation calculations employing the large configuration-space shell-model (SM) wave functions. The well-known Gamow-Teller and spin-dipole (SD) states at excitation energies of $E_x$ $lesssim$ 8 MeV have been reasonably reproduced by the calculations except for the spin--parity $J^{pi}$ = $2^-$ state at $E_x$ = 5.86 MeV. The SD resonance at $E_x$ $simeq$ 9.5 MeV appears to have more $J^{pi}$ = $2^-$ strength than $J^{pi}$ = $1^-$ strength, consistent with the calculations. The data show significant strength in the spin-longitudinal polarized cross section $ID_L(0^{circ})$ at $E_x$ $simeq$ 15 MeV, which indicates existence of the $J^{pi}$ = $0^-$ SD resonance as predicted in the SM calculations.
Beam-target double-spin asymmetries and target single-spin asymmetries were measured for the exclusive $pi^0$ electroproduction reaction $gamma^* p to p pi^0$, expanding an analysis of the $gamma^* p to n pi^+$ reaction from the same experiment. The results were obtained from scattering of 6 GeV longitudinally polarized electrons off longitudinally polarized protons using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. The kinematic range covered is $1.1<W<3$ GeV and $1<Q^2<6$ GeV$^2$. Results were obtained for about 5700 bins in $W$, $Q^2$, cthcm, and $phi^*$. The beam-target asymmetries were found to generally be greater than zero, with relatively modest phicmsp dependence. The target asymmetries exhibit very strong phicmsp dependence, with a change in sign occurring between results at low $W$ and high $W$, in contrast to $pi^+$ electroproduction. Reasonable agreement is found with phenomenological fits to previous data for $W<1.6$ GeV, but significant differences are seen at higher $W$. When combined with cross section measurements, as well as $pi^+$ observables, the present results will provide powerful constraints on nucleon resonance amplitudes at moderate and large values of $Q^2$, for resonances with masses as high as 2.4 GeV.