No Arabic abstract
Brand-new high-precision data for single-spin asymmetry $A_N(t)$ in small angle elastic $pp$ scattering from the fixed target experiment HJET at BNL at $E_{lab}=100$ and $255 mbox{ GeV}$, as well as high energy STAR measurements at $sqrt{s}=200 mbox{ GeV}$, for the first time allowed to determine the spin-flip to non-flip ratio $r_5(t)$ in a wide energy range. We introduced an essential modification in the Coulomb-nuclear interference (CNI) mechanism, missed in previous analyses. It can be formulated either as a modification of the Coulomb phase, which is much larger for the spin-flip compared with non-flip amplitudes, or as absorptive corrections to the electromagnetic interaction of hadrons. The Regge analysis singles out the Pomeron contribution to the spin-flip amplitude, which steeply rises with energy. We found the spin-flip to non-flip ratio of the Pomeron amplitudes to be nearly $-10%$, steeply rising with energy in accordance with theoretical expectations.
Polarized pp elastic scattering at small angles in the Coulomb-nuclear interference (CNI) region offers a unique opportunity to study the spin structure of the Pomeron. Electromagnetic effects in elastic amplitude can be equivalently treated either as Coulomb corrections to the hadronic amplitude (Coulomb phase), or as absorption corrections to the Coulomb scattering amplitude. We perform the first calculation of the Coulomb phase for the spin-flip amplitude and found it significantly exceeding the widely used non-flip Coulomb phase. The alternative description in terms of absorption corrections, though equivalent, turned out to be a more adequate approach for the Coulomb corrected spin-flip amplitude. Inspired by the recent high statistics measurements of single-spin asymmetry in the fixed-target HJET experiment at the BNL, we also performed a Regge analysis of data, aiming at disentangling the Pomeron contribution. However, in spite of an exceptional accuracy of the data, they do not allow to single out the Pomeron term, which strongly correlates with the major sub-leading Reggeons. A stable solution can be accessed only by making additional ad hoc assumptions, e.g. assuming the Pomeron to be a simple Regge pole, or fixing some unknown parameters. Otherwise, in addition to the STAR data at $sqrt{s}=$200 GeV new measurements, say at 100 GeV or 500 GeV, could become decisive.
The transverse single-spin asymmetry A_N observed in high energy proton-proton collisions p^uparrow p to pi X has been found to increase with the momentum fraction x_F of the pion up to the largest measured x_F sim 0.8, where A_N simeq 40%. We consider the possibility that the asymmetry is due to a non-perturbatively generated spin-flip coupling in soft rescattering on the target proton. We demonstrate using perturbation theory that a non-vanishing asymmetry can be generated through interference between exchanges of even and odd charge conjugation provided both helicity flip and non-flip couplings contribute. Pomeron and odderon exchange can thus explain the energy independence of the asymmetry and predicts that the asymmetry should persist in events with large rapidity gaps.
Pion-nucleus bremsstrahlung offers a possibility of measuring the structure functions of pion-Compton scattering from a study of the small-momentum-transfer region where the bremsstrahlung reaction is dominated by the single-photon-exchange mechanism. The corresponding cross-section distribution is characterized by a sharp peak at small momentum transfers. But there is also a hadronic contribution which is smooth and constitutes an undesired background. In this communication the modification of the single-photon exchange amplitude by multiple-Coulomb scattering is investigated as well as the Coulomb-nuclear interference term.
Improved knowledge of the nucleon structure is a crucial pathway toward a deeper understanding of the fundamental nature of the QCD interaction, and will enable important future discoveries. The experimental facilities proposed for the next decade offer a tremendous opportunity to advance the precision of our theoretical predictions to unprecedented levels. In this report we briefly highlight some of the recently developed tools and techniques which, together with data from these new colliders, have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the QCD theory in the next decade.
We discuss the production of two pion pairs in photon collisions at high energies as it can take place in ultraperipheral collisions at hadron colliders such as the LHC. We calculate the according matrix elements in kT factorization and discuss the possibility to reveal the existence of the perturbative Odderon by charge asymmetries.