Virtual compton scattering and polarizabilities

Virtual Compton Scattering (VCS) and Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) on the nucleon are two processes accessed via the photon electroproduction reaction (eN → eγN). In the first part of this paper we are interested by the DVCS on the neutron. We measured the (D(e, eγ)X-H(e, e'γ)X) unpolarized cross section and we extracted, for the first time, a non-zero contribution of (neutron-DVCS + coherent- deuteron-DVCS) at Q2 = 1.75 GeV2 and xB = 36 from Jefferson Lab experiment E08-025. VCS on the proton has been studied at Mainz Microtron MAMI at the four-momentum transfer squared Q2 = 0.5 GeV2, below the pion production threshold. In the second part of this paper we present our preliminary results of the structure functions (PLL − (PTT/e)) and PLT, and the electric and magnetic generalized polarizabilities αE(Q2) and βM(Q2) extracted from this experiment.

A precise measurement of the differential cross sections dσ/dΩ and the linearly polarized photon beam asymmetry Σ_{3} for Compton scattering on the proton below pion threshold has been performed with a tagged photon beam and almost 4π detector at the Mainz Microtron. The incident photons were produced by the recently upgraded Glasgow-Mainz photon tagging facility and impinged on a cryogenic liquid hydrogen target, with the scattered photons detected in the Crystal Ball/TAPS setup. Using the highest statistics Compton scattering data ever measured on the proton along with two effective field theories (both covariant baryon and heavy-baryon) and one fixed-t dispersion relation model, constraining the fits with the Baldin sum rule, we have obtained the proton electric and magnetic polarizabilities with unprecedented precision: α_{E1}=10.99±0.16±0.47±0.17±0.34, β_{M1}=3.14±0.21±0.24±0.20±0.35; in units of 10^{-4} fm^{3} where the errors are statistical, systematic, spin polarizability dependent, and model dependent.

In this work, we report simple optical design of a high speed and high spectral resolution spectrometer based on the first order calculation. The spectrometer was design and optimized for high speed detection of spectral interference signal to be used as a detection unit of our developed Frequency Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (FD-OCT). We then detailed the hardware implementation of both the spectrometer and the FD-OCT system in our laboratory at Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand, by utilizing only off-the-shelf optical components. The spectrometer is capable of capturing of the spectral interference fringes at up to the camera limit of 130,000 spectra per second, enabling cross-sectional microscopic imaging of biological sample of more than 100 frames per second (for a 1000 depth scans per frame). In addition, we reported several simple yet robust techniques for characterization of the system performance in the context of FD-OCT 3D imaging, such as an effective lateral resolution, depth scale calibration, and depth penetration limit. The development of this high speed and high resolution spectrometer is part of our ultimate goal to develop a prototype of a research-grade FD-OCT system that provides better imaging speed and resolution in comparing to available commercial OCT systems at relatively lower cost. The design of low-cost, high performance FD-OCT system would make the technology widely accessible to other researchers in the field of biomedical research and related areas in Thailand in the next few years.

A high spectral resolution spectrometer with 0.065-nm full-width half-maximum was used for collecting spectral measurements in an orchard field under three water stress treatments. The study was part of the FluorMOD project funded by the European Space Agency to develop a leaf-canopy reflectance model to simulate the effects of fluorescence. Water deficit protocols generated a gradient in solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence emission and tree physiological measures. Diurnal steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence was measured from leaves in the field between June and November 2004 using the PAM-2100 fluorometer to study the effects of water stress on chlorophyll fluorescence. Spectral measurements of downwelling irradiance and upwelling crown radiance were conducted with the narrow-band spectrometer, enabling the canopy reflectance to be obtained at subnanometer spectral resolution and permitting the evaluation of the fluorescence in-filling effects on reflectance in trees under water stress conditions. Diurnal and seasonal measurements showed consistently lower steady-state fluorescence (Ft) and quantum yield /spl Delta/F/Fm' in water-stressed trees, yielding mean values of Ft=0.38 (well-irrigated) and Ft=0.21 (water-stressed trees). The agreement between Ft and water potential showed that steady-state fluorescence could be used to detect differences in water stress levels, with determination coefficients ranging between r/sup 2/=0.48 and r/sup 2/=0.81 for individual dates. Analysis in the 680-770-nm range showed that the chlorophyll fluorescence in-filling in the O/sub 2/-A band at 760 nm is sensitive to diurnal variations of fluorescence and water stress, yielding r/sup 2/=0.76 (well-watered treatment), r/sup 2/=0.89 (intermediate stress treatment), and r/sup 2/=0.7 (extreme stress treatment), demonstrating the close relationships between Ft and in-filling at the crown level.

The observable gravitational and electromagnetic parameters of an electron: mass m, spin J = ℏ/2, charge e and magnetic moment ea = eℏ/(2m) indicate unambiguously that the electron should had the Kerr-Newman background geometry – exact solution of the Einstein-Maxwell gravity for a charged and rotating black hole. Contrary to the widespread opinion that gravity plays essential role only on the Planck scales, the Kerr-Newman gravity displays a new dimensional parameter a = ℏ/(2m), which for parameters of an electron corresponds to the Compton wavelength and turns out to be very far from the Planck scale. Extremely large spin of the electron with respect to its mass produces the Kerr geometry without horizon, which displays very essential topological changes at the Compton distance resulting in a two-fold structure of the electron background. The corresponding gravitational and electromagnetic fields of the electron are concentrated near the Kerr ring, forming a sort of a closed string, structure of which is close to the described by Sen heterotic string. The indicated by Gravity stringlike structure of the electron contradicts to the statements of Quantum theory that electron is pointlike and structureless. However, it confirms the peculiar role of the Compton zone of the "dressed" electron and matches with the known limit of the localization of the Dirac electron. We discuss the relation of the Kerr string with the low energy string theory and with the Dirac theory of electron and suggest that the predicted by the Kerr-Newman gravity closed string in the core of the electron, should be experimentally observable by the novel regime of the high energy scattering - the Deeply Virtual (or "nonforward") Compton Scattering".

The Dalitz decay eta -> e^+ e^- gamma has been measured in the gamma p -> eta p reaction with the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers, together with the photon tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The experimental statistic used in this work is one order of magnitude greater than in any previous measurement of eta -> e^+ e^- gamma. The value obtained for the slope parameter 1/Lambda^2 of the eta transition form factor, 1/Lambda^2 = (1.95 +/- 0.15_stat +/- 0.10_syst) [1/GeV^2], is in good agreement with recent measurements conducted in eta -> e^+ e^- gamma and eta -> mu^+ mu^- gamma decays, as well as with recent form-factor calculations. The uncertainty obtained in the value of 1/Lambda^2 is lower compared to results from previous measurements of the eta -> e^+ e^- gamma decay.

The quasinormal modes of the Schwarzschild black hole surrounded by the quintessence in Rastall gravity are studied using the sixth-order Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximative approach. The effect of the Rastall parameter on the quasinormal modes of gravitational, electromagnetic and massless scalar perturbations is explored. Compared to the case of Einstein gravity, it is found that, when , the gravitational field, electromagnetic field as well as massless scalar field damp more rapidly and have larger real frequency of oscillation in Rastall gravity, while when , the gravitational field, electromagnetic field as well as massless scalar field damp more slowly and have smaller real frequency of oscillation in Rastall gravity. It is also found that the gravitational field, electromagnetic field as well as massless scalar field damp more and more slowly and the real frequency of oscillation for the gravitational perturbation, electromagnetic perturbation as well as massless scalar perturbation becomes smaller and smaller as the Rastall parameter η increases. Compared among the quasinormal frequencies of gravitational, electromagnetic and massless scalar perturbations, I find that, for fixed η, (l,n), ϵ and Nq, the oscillation damps most slowly for the gravitational perturbation, mediate for the electromagnetic perturbation and most rapidly for the massless scalar perturbation, and the real frequency of oscillation is the smallest for the gravitational perturbation, mediate for the electromagnetic perturbation and the largest for the massless scalar perturbation in Rastall gravity.

Virtual Compton scattering off the proton has been studied at Q2 = 0.33 (GeV/c)2 at MAMI (Mainz, Germany). This paper reports two different experiments. The goal of the experiments is the measurement of the double polarized ep → e′p′γ reaction below pion production threshold and the (beam) single spin asymmetry for ep → e′p′γ above the π0 threshold.

An experimental study of $\omega$ photoproduction on the proton was conducted by using the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers together with the photon tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The $\gamma p\to\omega p$ differential cross sections are measured from threshold to the incident-photon energy $E_\gamma=1.40$ GeV ($W=1.87$ GeV for the center-of-mass energy) with 15-MeV binning in $E_\gamma$ and full production-angle coverage. The quality of the present data near threshold gives access to a variety of interesting physics aspects. As an example, an estimation of the $\omega N$ scattering length $\alpha_{\omega p}$ is provided.

Cross-section measurements of the exclusive p(e, e′K +)Λ, Σ 0electroproduction reactions have been performed at the Mainz Microtron MAMI in the A1 spectrometer facility using for the first time the KAOS spectrometer for kaon detection. These processes were studied in a kinematical region not covered by any previous experiment. The nucleon was probed in its third-resonance region with virtual photons of low four-momenta, Q 2 = 0.030–0.055 (GeV/c)2. The MAMI data indicate a smooth transition in Q2 from photoproduction to electroproduction cross-sections. Comparison with predictions of effective Lagrangian models based on the isobar approach reveal that strong longitudinal couplings of the virtual photon to the N* resonances can be excluded from these models. Modern isobar and Regge-plus-resonance models are in agreement with the data.

The reaction $p({e,e}^{\ensuremath{'}}p){\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ has been studied very close to threshold $\ensuremath{\Delta}W\ensuremath{\le}4\mathrm{MeV}$ and at 4-momentum transfer ${Q}^{2}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.1(\mathrm{GeV}/c{)}^{2}$. The scattered electron and the kinematically focused recoil proton were detected in coincidence using the 3-magnetic spectrometer setup at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The transverse and longitudinal as well as the longitudinal-transverse and the transverse-transverse interference structure functions have been determined. From the data the $s$-wave multipoles ${E}_{0+}$ and ${L}_{0+}$ have been extracted. The experimental results are compared to recent calculations in chiral perturbation theory.

An internal superconducting “holding-coil” for frozen spin targets

New, high-precision measurements of the 3He(e,e(')p) reaction using the A1 Collaboration spectrometers at the Mainz microtron MAMI are presented. These were performed in antiparallel kinematics at energy transfers below the quasielastic peak, and at a central momentum transfer of 685 MeV/c. Cross sections and distorted momentum distributions were extracted and compared to theoretical predictions and existing data. The longitudinal and transverse behavior of the cross section was also studied. Sizable differences in the cross-section behavior from theoretical predictions based on the plane wave impulse approximation were observed in both the two- and three-body breakup channels. Full Faddeev-type calculations account for some of the observed excess cross-section, but significant differences remain.

Precision studies of the reaction $^{3}$He(e,e$^\prime$p) using the three-spectrometer facility at the Mainz microtron MAMI are presented. All data are for quasielastic kinematics at $|\vec{q} | =685$ MeV/c. Absolute cross sections were measured at three electron kinematics. For the measured missing momenta range from 10 to 165 MeV/c, no strength is observed for missing energies higher than 20 MeV. Distorted momentum distributions were extracted for the two-body breakup and the continuum. The longitudinal and transverse behavior was studied by measuring the cross section for three photon polarizations. The longitudinal and transverse nature of the cross sections is well described by a currently accepted and widely used prescription of the off-shell electron-nucleon cross-section. The results are compared to modern three-body calculations and to previous data.

At Mainz university, a 100% duty-factor electron accelerator for beam current and energy up to 100 µA and 855 MeV,respectively, has become operational recently, the Mainz Microtron MAMI. The experimental program is based on three major equipments which are built up and will be run by three facility-oriented collaborations. Collaboration A1 is centered around a magnetic spectrometer setup and will do experiments with virtual photons. For experiments with real photons collaboration A2 runs a high-efficiency tagger. Collaboration A3 sets up a polarized electron source in order to exploit the polarization degrees of freedom.