We have measured the flavor dependence of multiplicities for π+ and π− production in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering (SIDIS) on proton and deuteron to explore a possible charge symmetry violation in fragmentation functions. The experiment used an electron beam with energies of 10.2 and 10.6 GeV at Jefferson Lab and the Hall-C spectrometers. The electron kinematics spanned the range 0.3<x<0.6, 2<Q2<5.5 GeV2, and 2.2<W<3.2 GeV. The pion fractional momentum range was 0.3<z<0.7, and the transverse momentum range was 0<pT<0.25 GeV/c. Assuming factorization and allowing for isospin breaking, the results can be described by two “favored” and two “unfavored” effective low pT fragmentation functions that are flavor-dependent. We find each pair converges to a common flavor-independent fragmentation function at the highest W, where factorization is most applicable.

Nucleon structure functions, as measured in lepton-nucleon scattering, have historically provided a critical observable in the study of partonic dynamics within the nucleon. However, at very large parton momenta it is both experimentally and theoretically challenging to extract parton distributions due to the probable onset of non-perturbative contributions and the unavailability of high precision data at critical kinematics. Extraction of the neutron structure and the d-quark distribution have been further challenging due to the necessity of applying nuclear corrections when utilizing scattering data from a deuteron target to extract free neutron structure. However, a program of experiments has been carried out recently at the energy-upgraded Jefferson Lab electron accelerator aimed at significantly reducing the nuclear correction uncertainties on the d-quark distribution function at large partonic momentum. This allows leveraging the vast body of deuterium data covering a large kinematic range to be utilized for d-quark parton distribution function extraction. We present new data from experiment E12-10-002 carried out in Jefferson Lab Hall C on the deuteron to proton cross-section ratio at large BJorken-x. These results significantly improve the precision of existing data, and provide a first look at the expected impact on quark distributions extracted from global parton distribution function fits.

The nuclear dependence of the inclusive inelastic electron scattering cross section (the EMC effect) has been measured for the first time in B10 and B11. Previous measurements of the EMC effect in A≤12 nuclei showed an unexpected nuclear dependence; B10 and B11 were measured to explore the EMC effect in this region in more detail. Results are presented for Be9, B10, B11, and C12 at an incident beam energy of 10.6 GeV. The EMC effect in the boron isotopes was found to be similar to that for Be9 and C12, yielding almost no nuclear dependence in the EMC effect in the range A=4–12. This represents important new data supporting the hypothesis that the EMC effect depends primarily on the local nuclear environment due to the cluster structure of these nuclei.Received 8 July 2022Revised 21 April 2023Accepted 17 July 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.108.035201©2023 American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasLepton induced nuclear reactionsQCD in nuclear reactionsProperties6 ≤ A ≤ 19TechniquesParticle sources & targetsSpectrometers & spectroscopic techniquesNuclear Physics

Quasi-elastic scattering on $^{12}$C$(e,e'p)$ was measured in Hall C at Jefferson Lab for space-like 4-momentum transfer squared $Q^2$ in the range of 8--14.2\,(GeV/$c$)$^2$ with proton momenta up to 8.3\,GeV/$c$. The experiment was carried out in the upgraded Hall C at Jefferson Lab. It used the existing high momentum spectrometer and the new super high momentum spectrometer to detect the scattered electrons and protons in coincidence. The nuclear transparency was extracted as the ratio of the measured yield to the yield calculated in the plane wave impulse approximation. Additionally, the transparency of the $1s_{1/2}$ and $1p_{3/2}$ shell protons in $^{12}$C was extracted, and the asymmetry of the missing momentum distribution was examined for hints of the quantum chromodynamics prediction of Color Transparency. All of these results were found to be consistent with traditional nuclear physics and inconsistent with the onset of Color Transparency.

Quasielastic scattering on 12C(e, e'p) was measured in Hall C at Jefferson Lab for spacelike four-momentum transfer squared Q2 in the range of 8-14.2 (GeV/c)2 with proton momenta up to 8.3 GeV/c. The experiment was carried out in the upgraded Hall C at Jefferson Lab. It used the existing high-momentum spectrometer and the new super-high-momentum spectrometer to detect the scattered electrons and protons in coincidence. The nuclear transparency was extracted as the ratio of the measured yield to the yield calculated in the plane wave impulse approximation. Additionally, the transparency of the 1s1/2 and 1p3/2 shell protons in 12C was extracted, and the asymmetry of the missing momentum distribution was examined for hints of the quantum chromodynamics prediction of color transparency. All of these results were found to be consistent with traditional nuclear physics and inconsistent with the onset of color transparency.

The nuclear dependence of the inclusive inelastic electron scattering cross section (the EMC effect) has been measured for the first time in 10B and 11B. Previous measurements of the EMC effect in A 12 nuclei showed an unexpected nuclear dependence; 10B and 11B were measured to explore the EMC effect in this region in more detail. Results are presented for 9Be, 10B, 11B, and 12C at an incident beam energy of 10.6 GeV. The EMC effect in the boron isotopes was found to be similar to that for 9Be and 12C, yielding almost no nuclear dependence in the EMC effect in the range A = 4-12. This represents important new data supporting the hypothesis that the EMC effect depends primarily on the local nuclear environment due to the cluster structure of these nuclei.

Quasielastic ^{12}C(e,e^{'}p) scattering was measured at spacelike 4-momentum transfer squared Q^{2}=8, 9.4, 11.4, and 14.2  (GeV/c)^{2}, the highest ever achieved to date. Nuclear transparency for this reaction was extracted by comparing the measured yield to that expected from a plane-wave impulse approximation calculation without any final state interactions. The measured transparency was consistent with no Q^{2} dependence, up to proton momenta of 8.5  GeV/c, ruling out the quantum chromodynamics effect of color transparency at the measured Q^{2} scales in exclusive (e,e^{'}p) reactions. These results impose strict constraints on models of color transparency for protons.

We measure ^{2}H(e,e^{'}p)n cross sections at 4-momentum transfers of Q^{2}=4.5±0.5  (GeV/c)^{2} over a range of neutron recoil momenta p_{r}, reaching up to ∼1.0  GeV/c. We obtain data at fixed neutron recoil angles θ_{nq}=35°, 45°, and 75° with respect to the 3-momentum transfer q[over →]. The new data agree well with previous data, which reached p_{r}∼500  MeV/c. At θ_{nq}=35° and 45°, final state interactions, meson exchange currents, and isobar currents are suppressed and the plane wave impulse approximation provides the dominant cross section contribution. We compare the new data to recent theoretical calculations, where we observe a significant discrepancy for recoil momenta p_{r}>700  MeV/c.