Abstract
We report on a measurement of hard exclusive π0 muoproduction on the proton by COMPASS using 160 GeV/c polarised μ+ and μ− beams of the CERN SPS impinging on a liquid hydrogen target. From the average of the measured μ+ and μ− cross sections, the virtual-photon proton cross section is determined as a function of the squared four-momentum transfer between initial and final proton in the range 0.08(GeV/c)2<|t|<0.64(GeV/c)2. The average kinematics of the measurement are 〈Q2〉=2.0(GeV/c)2, 〈ν〉=12.8GeV, 〈xBj〉=0.093 and 〈−t〉=0.256(GeV/c)2. Fitting the azimuthal dependence reveals a combined contribution by transversely and longitudinally polarised photons of (8.2±0.9stat −1.2 +1.2|sys)nb/(GeV/c)2, as well as transverse-transverse and longitudinal-transverse interference contributions of (−6.1±1.3stat −0.7 +0.7|sys)nb/(GeV/c)2 and (1.5±0.5stat −0.2 +0.3|sys)nb/(GeV/c)2, respectively. Our results provide important input for modelling Generalised Parton Distributions. In the context of the phenomenological Goloskokov-Kroll model, the statistically significant transverse-transverse interference contribution constitutes clear experimental evidence for the chiral-odd GPD E‾T.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 135454 |
Journal | Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics |
Volume | 805 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 10 2020 |
Keywords
- COMPASS
- Generalised Parton Distributions
- Hard exclusive meson production
- Muoproduction
- Quantum chromodynamics
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nuclear and High Energy Physics