Laser-plasma accelerator group

Abstract:

In deep inelastic neutral current scattering of positrons and protons at the center of mass energy of 300 GeV, we observe, with the ZEUS detector, events with a high energy neutron produced at very small scattering angles with respect to the proton direction. The events constitute a fixed fraction of the deep inelastic, neutral current event sample independent of Bjorken x and Q2 in the range 3 · 10-4 < xBJ < 6 · 10-3 and 10 < Q2 < 100 GeV2.

Abstract:

The cross sections for the deep inelastic charged-current interactions e+p → ν̄X and e-p → νX have been measured in the kinematic region x > 0.006 and Q2 > 200GeV2, using the e+p and e-p data collected with the ZEUS detector during 1993 and 1994. For the integrated cross sections, σe+→ν̄X(Q2>200 GeV2) = 30.3- 4.2+ 5.5 [stat] -2.6+1.6 [syst] pb σe-p→νX(Q2>200 GeV2) = 54.7-9.8+15.9 [stat] -3.4+2.8 [syst] pb are obtained, in good agreement with the Standard Model expectations of 32.3pb and 65.8pb. The differential cross sections have been measured as functions of Q2, x and y. The differences between e+p and e-p scattering, which are expected from the V-A helicity structure of the weak interaction and from the quark content of the proton, are clearly observed. No significant deviation from the Standard Model predictions is found. The measured Q2 dependence of the differential cross sections for e+ and c- induced CC DIS reactions is used to determine the W mass. The measured value of MW is 79 -7 -4+8 +4 GeV, in good agreement with direct measurements performed at pp̄ colliders. A jet analysis has been performed and CC events with multiple jets have been observed. The distributions of the jet transverse momentum and rapidity as well as transverse energy flow jet profiles have been measured and are compared to the script O sign(αs) predictions of the ARIADNE and MEPS Monte Carlo models. Good agreement is observed in both the jet profiles and the jet rates. A search for charged-current events with a large rapidity gap between the observed hadronic system and the outgoing proton system yielded one candidate event in the e+p sample, corresponding to a cross section of σe+p→ν̄X(Q2 > 200 GeV2; ηmax < 2.5) = 0.8 -0.7+1.8 [stat] ±0.1 [syst] pb. © Springer-Verlag 1996.

Abstract:

The production of φ mesons in the reaction e+p → e+φp (φ → K+K-), for 7 < Q2 < 25 GeV2 and for virtual photon-proton centre of mass energies (W) in the range 42-134 GeV, has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA. When compared to lower energy data at similar Q2, the results show that the γp → p0p cross section rises strongly with W. This behaviour is similar to that previously found for the γ*p → p0p cross section. This strong dependence cannot be explained by production through soft pomeron exchange. It is, however, consistent with perturbative QCD expectations, where it reflects the rise of the gluon momentum density in the proton at small x. The ratio of σ(φ)/σ(p0), which has previously been determined by ZEUS to be 0.065 ± 0.013 (stat.) in photoproduction at a mean W of 70 GeV, is measured to be 0.18 ± 0.05 (stat.) ± 0.03 (syst.) at a mean Q2 of 12.3 GeV2 and mean W of ≈ 100 GeV and is thus approaching at large Q2 the value of 2/9 predicted from the quark charges of the vector mesons and a flavour independent production mechanism.

Abstract:

The production of φ mesons in the reaction e+p → e+φp (φ → K+K-) at a median Q2 of 10-4 GeV2 has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The differential φ photoproduction cross section dσ/dt has an exponential shape and has been determined in the kinematic range 0.1 < |t| < 0.5 GeV2 and 60 < W < 80 GeV. An integrated cross section of σγp→φp = 0.96 ± 0.19+0.21-.18 μb has been obtained by extrapolating to t = 0. When compared to lower energy data, the results show a weak energy dependence of both σγp→φp and the slope of the t distribution. The φ decay angular distributions are consistent with s-channel helicity conservation. From lower energies to HERA energies, the features of φ photoproduction are compatible with those of a soft diffractive process.

Abstract:

Photoproduction events which have two or more jets have been studied in the Wγp range 135 GeV < Wγp < 280 GeV with the ZEUS detector at HERA. A class of events is observed with little hadronic activity between the jets. The jets are separated by pseudorapidity intervals (Δη) of up to four units and have transverse energies greater than 6 GeV. A gap is defined as the absence between the jets of particles with transverse energy greater than 300 MeV. The fraction of events containing a gap is measured as a function of Δη. It decreases exponentially as expected for processes in which colour is exchanged between the jets, up to a value of Δη ∼ 3, then reaches a constant value of about 0.1. The excess above the exponential fall-off can be interpreted as evidence for hard diffractive scattering via a strongly interacting colour singlet object.