Measurements of the EMC effect in the tritium and helium-3 mirror nuclei are reported. The data were obtained by the MARATHON Jefferson Lab experiment, which performed deep inelastic electron scattering from deuterium and the three-body nuclei, using a cryogenic gas target system and the high resolution spectrometers of the Hall A Facility of the Lab. The data cover the Bjorken x range from 0.20 to 0.83, corresponding to a squared four-momentum transfer Q^{2} range from 2.7 to 11.9  (GeV/c)^{2}, and to an invariant mass W of the final hadronic state greater than 1.84  GeV/c^{2}. The tritium EMC effect measurement is the first of its kind. The MARATHON experimental results are compared to results from previous measurements by DESY-HERMES and JLab-Hall C experiments, as well as with few-body theoretical predictions.

Inclusive electron scattering at carefully chosen kinematics can isolate scattering from the high-momentum nucleons in short-range correlations (SRCs). SRCs are produced by the hard, short-distance interactions of nucleons in the nucleus, and because the two-nucleon (2N) SRCs arise from the same N-N interaction in all nuclei, the cross section in the SRC-dominated regime is identical up to an overall scaling factor. This scaling behavior has been used to identify SRC dominance and to measure the contribution of SRCs in a wide range of nuclei. We examine this scaling behavior over a range of momentum transfers using new data on ^2H, ^3H, and ^3He, and find an expanded scaling region compared to heavy nuclei. Motivated by this improved scaling, we examine the ^3H and ^3He data in kinematics where three-nucleon SRCs may play an important role. The data for the largest struck nucleon momenta are consistent with isolation of scattering from three-nucleon SRCs, and suggest that the very highest momentum nucleons in ^3He have a nearly isospin-independent momentum configuration.

The double-spin-polarization observable E for gamma(->) p(->) -> p pi(0) p pi 0 has been measured with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at photon beam energies E gamma from 0.367 to 2.173 GeV (corresponding to center-of mass energies from 1.240 to 2.200 GeV) for pion center-of mass angles, cos theta(pi)0(c.m.) , between 0.86 and 0.82. These new CLAS measurements cover a broader energy range and have smaller uncertainties compared to previous CBELSA data and provide an important independent check on systematics. These measurements are compared to predictions as well as new global fits from The George Washington University, Mainz, and Bonn-Gatchina groups. Their inclusion in multi pole analyses will allow us to refine our understanding of the single-pion production contribution to the Gerasimov-DrellHearn sum rule and improve the determination of resonance properties, which will be presented in a future publication.

We report the first measurements of deep inelastic scattering spin-dependent azimuthal asymmetries in back-to-back dihadron electroproduction in the deep inelastic scattering process. In this reaction, two hadrons are produced in opposite hemispheres along the z axis in the virtual photon-target nucleon center-of-mass frame, with the first hadron produced in the current-fragmentation region and the second in the target-fragmentation region. The data were taken with longitudinally polarized electron beams of 10.2 and 10.6 GeV incident on an unpolarized liquid-hydrogen target using the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. Observed nonzero sinΔϕ modulations in ep→e^{'}pπ^{+}X events, where Δϕ is the difference of the azimuthal angles of the proton and pion in the virtual photon and target nucleon center-of-mass frame, indicate that correlations between the spin and transverse momenta of hadrons produced in the target- and current-fragmentation regions may be significant. The measured beam-spin asymmetries provide a first access in dihadron production to a previously unexplored leading-twist spin- and transverse-momentum-dependent fracture function. The fracture functions describe the hadronization of the target remnant after the hard scattering of a virtual photon off a quark in the target particle and provide a new avenue for studying nucleonic structure and hadronization.

The polarized cross-section ratio σ_{LT^{'}}/σ_{0} from hard exclusive π^{-}Δ^{++} electroproduction off an unpolarized hydrogen target has been extracted based on beam-spin asymmetry measurements using a 10.2  GeV/10.6  GeV incident electron beam and the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. The study, which provides the first observation of this channel in the deep-inelastic regime, focuses on very forward-pion kinematics in the valence regime, and photon virtualities ranging from 1.5  GeV^{2} up to 7  GeV^{2}. The reaction provides a novel access to the d-quark content of the nucleon and to p→Δ^{++} transition generalized parton distributions. A comparison to existing results for hard exclusive π^{+}n and π^{0}p electroproduction is provided, which shows a clear impact of the excitation mechanism, encoded in transition generalized parton distributions, on the asymmetry.

A multidimensional extraction of the structure function ratio σLT′/σ0 from the hard exclusive e→p→e′nπ+ reaction above the resonance region has been performed. The study was done based on beam-spin asymmetry measurements using a 10.6 GeV incident electron beam on a liquid-hydrogen target and the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. The measurements focus on the very forward regime (t/Q2 ≪ 1) with a wide kinematic range of xB in the valence regime (0.17 < xB < 0.55), and virtualities Q2 ranging from 1.5 GeV2 up to 6 GeV2. The results and their comparison to theoretical models based on Generalized Parton Distributions demonstrate the sensitivity to chiral-odd GPDs and the directly related tensor charge of the nucleon. In addition, the data is compared to an extension of a Regge formalism at high photon virtualities. It was found that the Regge model provides a better description at low Q2, while the GPD model is more appropriate at high Q2.

Deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) allows one to probe Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) describing the 3D structure of the nucleon. We report the first measurement of the DVCS beam-spin asymmetry using the CLAS12 spectrometer with a 10.2 and 10.6 GeV electron beam scattering from unpolarised protons. The results greatly extend the $Q^2$ and Bjorken-$x$ phase space beyond the existing data in the valence region and provide over 2000 new data points measured with unprecedented statistical uncertainty, setting new, tight constraints for future phenomenological studies.

AbstractThe double-spin-polarization observable$${\mathbb {E}}$$Efor$$\vec {\gamma }\vec {p}\rightarrow p\pi ^0$$γ→p→→pπ0has been measured with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at photon beam energies$$E_\gamma $$Eγfrom 0.367 to$$2.173~\textrm{GeV}$$2.173GeV(corresponding to center-of-mass energies from 1.240 to$$2.200~\textrm{GeV}$$2.200GeV) for pion center-of-mass angles,$$\cos \theta _{\pi ^0}^{c.m.}$$cosθπ0c.m., between$$-$$-0.86 and 0.82. These new CLAS measurements cover a broader energy range and have smaller uncertainties compared to previous CBELSA data and provide an important independent check on systematics. These measurements are compared to predictions as well as new global fits from The George Washington University, Mainz, and Bonn-Gatchina groups. Their inclusion in multipole analyses will allow us to refine our understanding of the single-pion production contribution to the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule and improve the determination of resonance properties, which will be presented in a future publication.

The double-spin-polarization observable 𝔼 for γ⃗p⃗→ pπ ^0 has been measured with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at photon beam energies E_γ from 0.367 to 2.173 GeV (corresponding to center-of-mass energies from 1.240 to 2.200 GeV ) for pion center-of-mass angles, cosθ _π ^0^c.m. , between - 0.86 and 0.82. These new CLAS measurements cover a broader energy range and have smaller uncertainties compared to previous CBELSA data and provide an important independent check on systematics. These measurements are compared to predictions as well as new global fits from The George Washington University, Mainz, and Bonn-Gatchina groups. Their inclusion in multipole analyses will allow us to refine our understanding of the single-pion production contribution to the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule and improve the determination of resonance properties, which will be presented in a future publication.

We report results of Λ hyperon production in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering off deuterium, carbon, iron, and lead targets obtained with the CLAS detector and the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility 5.014 GeV electron beam. These results represent the first measurements of the Λ multiplicity ratio and transverse momentum broadening as a function of the energy fraction (z) in the current and target fragmentation regions. The multiplicity ratio exhibits a strong suppression at high z and an enhancement at low z. The measured transverse momentum broadening is an order of magnitude greater than that seen for light mesons. This indicates that the propagating entity interacts very strongly with the nuclear medium, which suggests that propagation of diquark configurations in the nuclear medium takes place at least part of the time, even at high z. The trends of these results are qualitatively described by the Giessen Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck transport model, particularly for the multiplicity ratios. These observations will potentially open a new era of studies of the structure of the nucleon as well as of strange baryons.

We report the first measurement of $x_B$-scaling in $(e,e'p)$ cross-section ratios off nuclei relative to deuterium at large missing-momentum of $350 \leq p_{miss} \leq 600$ MeV/c. The observed scaling extends over a kinematic range of $0.7 \leq x_B \leq 1.8$, which is significantly wider than $1.4 \leq x_B \leq 1.8$ previously observed for inclusive $(e,e')$ cross-section ratios. The $x_B$-integrated cross-section ratios become constant (i.e., scale) beginning at $p_{miss}\approx k_F$, the nuclear Fermi momentum. Comparing with theoretical calculations we find good agreement with Generalized Contact Formalism calculations for high missing-momentum ($> 375$ MeV/c), suggesting the observed scaling results from interacting with nucleons in short-range correlated (SRC) pairs. For low missing-momenta, mean-field calculations show good agreement with the data for $p_{miss}\le k_F$, and suggest that contributions to the measured cross-section ratios from scattering off single, un-correlated, nucleons are non-negligible up to $p_{miss}\approx 350$ MeV/c. Therefore, SRCs become dominant in nuclei at $p_{miss}\approx 350$ MeV/c, well above the nuclear Fermi Surface of $k_F \approx 250$ MeV/c.

Several factors can contribute to the difficulty of aligning the sensors of tracking detectors, including a large number of modules, multiple types of detector technologies, and non-linear strip patterns on the sensors. All three of these factors apply to the CLAS12 CVT, which is a hybrid detector consisting of planar silicon sensors with non-parallel strips, and cylindrical micromegas sensors with longitudinal and arc-shaped strips located within a 5~T superconducting solenoid. To align this detector, we used the Kalman Alignment Algorithm, which accounts for correlations between the alignment parameters without requiring the time-consuming inversion of large matrices. This is the first time that this algorithm has been adapted for use with hybrid technologies, non-parallel strips, and curved sensors. We present the results for the first alignment of the CLAS12 CVT using straight tracks from cosmic rays and from a target with the magnetic field turned off. After running this procedure, we achieved alignment at the level of 10~$\mu$m, and the widths of the residual spectra were greatly reduced. These results attest to the flexibility of this algorithm and its applicability to future use in the CLAS12 CVT and other hybrid or curved trackers, such as those proposed for the future Electron-Ion Collider.

S. Morán,1, 3 R. Dupre,2 H. Hakobyan,1, 52 M. Arratia,3 W.K. Brooks,1 A. Bórquez,1 A. El Alaoui,1 L. El Fassi,4, 5 K. Hafidi,5 R. Mendez,1 T. Mineeva,1 S.J. Paul,3 M.J. Amaryan,36 Giovanni Angelini,19 Whitney R. Armstrong,5 H. Atac,43 N.A. Baltzell,44 L. Barion,20 M. Bashkanov,49 M. Battaglieri,44, 22 I. Bedlinskiy,31 Fatiha Benmokhtar,14 A. Bianconi,46, 26 L. Biondo,22, 25, 47 A.S. Biselli,15, 8 F. Bossù,10 S. Boiarinov,44 W.J. Briscoe,19 D. Bulumulla,36 V.D. Burkert,44 D.S. Carman,44 P. Chatagnon,2 V. Chesnokov,41 T. Chetry,4 G. Ciullo,20, 16 P.L. Cole,30, 9, 44 M. Contalbrigo,20 G. Costantini,46, 26 A. D’Angelo,23, 40 N. Dashyan,52 R. De Vita,22 M. Defurne,10 A. Deur,44 S. Diehl,37, 12 C. Djalali,35, 42 H. Egiyan,44 L. Elouadrhiri,44 P. Eugenio,18 R. Fersch,11, 51 A. Filippi,24 G. Gavalian,44, 32 Y. Ghandilyan,52 G.P. Gilfoyle,39 A.A. Golubenko,41 R.W. Gothe,42 K.A. Griffioen,51 M. Guidal,2 M. Hattawy,36 F. Hauenstein,36 T.B. Hayward,12 D. Heddle,11, 44 K. Hicks,35 A. Hobart,2 M. Holtrop,32 Y. Ilieva,42 D.G. Ireland,48 E.L. Isupov,41 H.S. Jo,29 D. Keller,50 A. Khanal,17 M. Khandaker,34, ∗ W. Kim,29 F.J. Klein,9 A. Kripko,37 V. Kubarovsky,44, 38 S.E. Kuhn,36 L. Lanza,23 M. Leali,46, 26 P. Lenisa,20, 16 K. Livingston,48 I .J .D. MacGregor,48 D. Marchand,2 L. Marsicano,22 V. Mascagna,45, 26 B. McKinnon,48 C. McLauchlin,42 Z.E. Meziani,5 S. Migliorati,46, 26 M. Mirazita,21 V. Mokeev,44, 41 C. Munoz Camacho,2 P. Nadel-Turonski,44 K. Neupane,42 S. Niccolai,2 G. Niculescu,28 T. R. O’Connell,12 M. Osipenko,22 A.I. Ostrovidov,18 M. Ouillon,2 P. Pandey,36 M. Paolone,33 L.L. Pappalardo,20, 16 E. Pasyuk,44 W. Phelps,11, 19 O. Pogorelko,31 J. Poudel,36 J.W. Price,6 Y. Prok,36, 50 B.A. Raue,17 Trevor Reed,17 M. Ripani,22 J. Ritman,27 A. Rizzo,23, 40 G. Rosner,48 J. Rowley,35 F. Sabatié,10 C. Salgado,34 A. Schmidt,19 R.A. Schumacher,8 Y.G. Sharabian,44 E.V. Shirokov,41 U. Shrestha,12 D. Sokhan,10, 48 O. Soto,21 N. Sparveris,43 S. Stepanyan,44 I.I. Strakovsky,19 S. Strauch,42, 19 R. Tyson,48 M. Ungaro,44, 38 L. Venturelli,46, 26 H. Voskanyan,52 A. Vossen,13, 44 E. Voutier,2 D.P. Watts,49 Kevin Wei,12 X. Wei,44 L.B. Weinstein,36 R. Wishart,48 M.H. Wood,7, 42 B. Yale,51 N. Zachariou,49 J. Zhang,50 and Z.W. Zhao13

We report a new measurement of the beam-spin asymmetry, Sigma, for the (gamma) over right arrown -> K+Sigma(-) reaction using quasi-free neutrons in a liquid-deuterium target. The new dataset includes data at previously unmeasured photon energy and angular ranges, thereby providing new constraints on partial wave analyses used to extract properties of the excited nucleon states. The experimental data were obtained using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS), housed in Hall B of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). The CLAS detector measured reaction products from a liquid-deuterium target produced by an energy-tagged, linearly polarised photon beam with energies in the range 1.1 to 2.3 GeV. Predictions from an isobar model indicate strong sensitivity to N(1720)3/2(+), Delta(1900)1/2(-), and N(1895)1/2(-), which corroborates results from a recent combined analysis of all K Sigma channels. When our data are incorporated in the fits of partial-wave analyses, one observes significant changes in gamma-n couplings of resonances which have small branching ratios to the pi N channel. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Funded by SCOAP(3).

When protons and neutrons (nucleons) are bound into atomic nuclei, they are close enough to feel significant attraction, or repulsion, from the strong, short-distance part of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. These strong interactions lead to hard collisions between nucleons, generating pairs of highly energetic nucleons referred to as short-range correlations (SRCs). SRCs are an important but relatively poorly understood part of nuclear structure1-3, and mapping out the strength and the isospin structure (neutron-proton (np) versus proton-proton (pp) pairs) of these virtual excitations is thus critical input for modelling a range of nuclear, particle and astrophysics measurements3-5. Two-nucleon knockout or 'triple coincidence' reactions have been used to measure the relative contribution of np-SRCs and pp-SRCs by knocking out a proton from the SRC and detecting its partner nucleon (proton or neutron). These measurements6-8 have shown that SRCs are almost exclusively np pairs, but they had limited statistics and required large model-dependent final-state interaction corrections. Here we report on measurements using inclusive scattering from the mirror nuclei hydrogen-3 and helium-3 to extract the np/pp ratio of SRCs in systems with a mass number of three. We obtain a measure of the np/pp SRC ratio that is an order of magnitude more precise than previous experiments, and find a marked deviation from the near-total np dominance observed in heavy nuclei. This result implies an unexpected structure in the high-momentum wavefunction for hydrogen-3 and helium-3. Understanding these results will improve our understanding of the short-range part of the nucleon-nucleon interaction.

High precision measurements of the polarized electron beam-spin asymmetry in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) from the proton have been performed using a 10.6 GeV incident electron beam and the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab. We report here a high precision multidimensional study of single π^{+} SIDIS data over a large kinematic range in Bjorken x, fractional energy, and transverse momentum of the hadron as well as photon virtualities Q^{2} ranging from 1-7  GeV^{2}. In particular, the structure function ratio F_{LU}^{sinϕ}/F_{UU} has been determined, where F_{LU}^{sinϕ} is a twist-3 quantity that can reveal novel aspects of emergent hadron mass and quark-gluon correlations within the nucleon. The data's impact on the evolving understanding of the underlying reaction mechanisms and their kinematic variation is explored using theoretical models for the different contributing transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions.

The ratio of the nucleon F_{2} structure functions, F_{2}^{n}/F_{2}^{p}, is determined by the MARATHON experiment from measurements of deep inelastic scattering of electrons from ^{3}H and ^{3}He nuclei. The experiment was performed in the Hall A Facility of Jefferson Lab using two high-resolution spectrometers for electron detection, and a cryogenic target system which included a low-activity tritium cell. The data analysis used a novel technique exploiting the mirror symmetry of the two nuclei, which essentially eliminates many theoretical uncertainties in the extraction of the ratio. The results, which cover the Bjorken scaling variable range 0.19<x<0.83, represent a significant improvement compared to previous SLAC and Jefferson Lab measurements for the ratio. They are compared to recent theoretical calculations and empirical determinations of the F_{2}^{n}/F_{2}^{p} ratio.