A unitary isobar model for pion photo- and electroproduction on the proton up to 1 GeV

A new operator for pion photo- and electroproduction has been developed for nuclear applications at photon equivalent energies up to 1 GeV. The model contains Born terms, vector mesons and nucleon resonances (P₃₃(1232), P₁₁(1440), D₁₃(1520), S₁₁(1535), F₁₅(1680), and D₃₃(1700)). The resonance contributions are included taking into account unitarity to provide the correct phases of the pion photoproduction multipoles. The Q² dependence of electromagnetic resonance vertices is described with appropriate form factors in the electromagnetic helicity amplitudes. Within this model we have obtained good agreement with the experimental data for pion photo- and electroproduction on the nucleon for both differential cross sections and polarization observables. The model can be used as a starting point to predict and analyze forthcoming data.     

Exclusive electroproduction of K+Λ and K+Σ0 final states at Q2 = 0.030–0.055 (GeV/c)2

Cross-section measurements of the exclusive p(e, e??K ⁺)??, ?? 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?C0.055 (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.     

e+ e− production from pp reactions at BEVALAC energies

We have performed a detailed study of dilepton production from pp collisions including the subthreshold ϱ production via baryonic resonances (N(1520), N(1700)) in addition to the conventional dilepton sources as π⁰, η, ω and Δ Dalitz decays and direct decays of vector mesons (ϱ, ω). The role of baryonic resonances in ϱ production from nucleon-nucleon collisions is studied in comparison to the DLS data which are well described.     

Photo- and electroproduction of eta mesons

Eta photo- and electroproduction off the nucleon is investigated in an effective lagrangian approach that contains Born terms and both vector meson and nucleon resonance contributions. In particular, we review and develop the formalism for coincidence experiments with polarization degrees of freedom. The different response functions appearing in single and double polarization experiments have been studied. We will present calculations for structure functions and kinematical conditions that are most sensitive to details of the lagrangian, in particular with regard to contributions of nucleon resonances beyond the dominantS ₁₁(1535) resonance.This work has been supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 201)     

Dile pton production in p+ p,Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 200$ GeV

We study dilepton production in proton–proton, Cu+Cu as well as in Au+Au collisions at the center-of-mass energy \(\sqrt{s} =200\) GeV per participating nucleon pair within an extended statistical hadronization model. In extension to earlier studies we incorporate transport calculations for an estimate of uncorrelated e ⁺ e ^? -pairs from semileptonic D meson decays. While the invariant mass spectrum of dielectrons is well understood in the p+p collisions, severe discrepancies among different model scenarios based on hadronic degrees of freedom and recent data from the PHENIX Collaboration are found in heavy-ion collisions in the low-mass region from 0.15 to 0.6 GeV as well as in the intermediate mass regime from 1.1 to 3 GeV when employing the standard dilepton sources. We investigate, furthermore, the background from correlated dileptons that are not emitted as a pair from a parent hadron but emerge from semileptonic decays of two correlated daughter hadrons. Our calculations suggest a sizeable contribution of such sources in central heavy-ion collisions in the low-mass region. However, even the upper limits of our calculations are found to be far below the dilepton mass spectra of the PHENIX Collaboration.     

Formfactor effects in exclusiveD andB decays

Recent experimental results on the semileptonicD→K ^* transition seem to be in conflict with quark model expectations. Motivated by this finding we reinvestigate the predictions for exclusiveD andB decays in the relativistic quark model approach. Some of the invariant formfactors relevant for the transition matrix elementsD→K ^* andB→D ^* depend strongly on an explicit quarkmass-dependent integral over the meson wave functions. The dependence of decay rates and spectra in semi-leptonicD andB transitions on this integral is analysed and discussed in detail. Furthermore, we discuss how the predictions of the relativistic quark model for semi-leptonicD andB decays can be tested through measurements of the polarization of the produced vector mesonK ^* andD ^*, respectively. Some remarks on exclusive nonleptonic two-body decays of the heavy mesons are also presented. Finally the theoretical uncertainties for the determination of the K-M matrix element |V _ub | from exclusive semi-leptonic decays are discussed.     

Vector states in e+e− annihilation at 3.9–4.5 GeV

The structure observed at SPEAR in e⁺e^? annihilation in the energy range 3.9–4.5 GeV is explained in an SU(8) × SL(3, R) color quark model. The model can account for the mass differences, total hadronic and leptonic widths, as well as for the rise in, and the magnitude of, R. Main predictions are the SU(3) properties of these states, strong suppression of their decays into the ψ(3.1) and the existence of another vector meson around 6 GeV.     

Radiative decays and transition form factors of strange mesons in the relativistic constituent quark model

Motivated by the recent lattice QCD results indicating that the topological charge contribution to the flavor singlet axial vector current can be traded off by the constituent quark masses, we investigate the radiative decays of pseudoscalar (π,K, η, η′), vector (ρ,K*, ω, ?) and axial vector (A ₁) mesons using a simple relativistic constituent quark model. For both simplicity and relativity, we take advantage of the distinguished features in the light-cone quantization method: (1) the Fock-state expansion of meson wavefunctions are not contaminated by the vacuum fluctuation, (2) the assignment of meson quantum numbers are given by the Melosh transformation. Except the well-known constituent quark masses of (u,d,s) quarks and the spin-averaged meson masses, the only parameter in the model is the gaussian parameter β which determines the broadness (or sharpness) of radial wavefunction. The computed decay widths and the transition form factors of ρ, ω → π(η)γ*,K* →Kγ* andA ₁ → πγ* at 0≤Q ²≤5 GeV² and π⁰(η) → γ*γ at 0≤Q ²≤3 GeV² are in a remarkably good agreement with the experimental data and the result forA ₁ ⁺ → π₊ γ* transition is quite consistent with the experiments of pion scattering on a nucleus using Primakoff effect. This model is potentially useful in the cocktail analyses of the dilepton productions in proton-proton, proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions at SPS energies and a little above.     

Results from DASP one + e − annihilation between 3.1 and 5.2 GeV

This paper summarizes the measurements one ⁺ e ^? annihilation performed by the DASP Collaboration in the energy range between 3.1 and 5.2 GeV. The following topics are covered: total cross section, production and two body decays of the narrow resonances, radiative decays of theJ/ψ and ψ′ resonances and evidence for theX(2.82), ψ′ cascade decays, inclusive η production and evidence for theF meson, semileptonic decays of charmed mesons and properties of the heavy lepton.     

Weak decays of heavy vector mesons toponium and open top

We point out that for sufficiently heavy top quark masses, i.e.,m _t ?20 GeV, weak interactions govern the decays ofboth the corresponding pseudoscalar and vector mesons,T andT ^* . Furthermore they significantly modify toponium decays. We discuss in detail the implications forT _b ^* decays and describe how especially its leptonic decays provide such spectacular signatures that they could serve to detect top production in hadron-hadron collisions. We also draw a scenario for toponium decays.     

Effective Lagrangian Approach to pion photoproduction from the nucleon

We present a pion photoproduction model on the free nucleon based on an Effective Lagrangian Approach (ELA) which includes the nucleon resonances (Δ(1232), N(1440), N(1520), N(1535), Δ(1620), N(1650), and Δ(1700)), in addition to Born and vector meson exchange terms. The model incorporates a new theoretical treatment of spin-3/2 resonances, first introduced by Pascalutsa, avoiding pathologies present in previous models. Other main features of the model are chiral symmetry, gauge invariance, and crossing symmetry. We use the model combined with modern optimization techniques to assess the parameters of the nucleon resonances on the basis of world data on electromagnetic multipoles. We present results for electromagnetic multipoles, differential cross-sections, asymmetries, and total cross-sections for all one pion photoproduction processes on free nucleons. We find overall agreement with data from threshold up to 1 GeV in laboratory frame.     

Electromagnetic excitation of nucleon resonances

Recent progress on the extraction of electromagnetic properties of nucleon resonance excitation through pion photo- and electroproduction is reviewed. Cross section data measured at MAMI, ELSA, and CEBAF are analyzed and compared to the analysis of other groups. On this basis, we derive longitudinal and transverse transition form factors for most of the four-star nucleon resonances. Furthermore, we discuss how the transition form factors can be used to obtain empirical transverse charge densities. Contour plots of the thus derived densities are shown for the Delta, Roper, S ₁₁, and D ₁₃ nucleon resonances.     

Quark loop model of radiative meson decays

Radiative meson decays are computed from quark loop anomalies, taking into account the SU(3) splitting of the quark masses. Predicted rates for ?→ηγ,K ^*→Kγ, and η→ππγ are brought into satisfactory agreement with experiment. Formulas are given for the radiative decay rates of charmed las are given for the radiative decay rates of charmed mesons, and a mechanism suggested for suppression of the radiative decays of mesons containing a charmed quark.     

Partial-wave analysis and baryon spectroscopy<Superscript>⋆</Superscript>

We continue to update our PWA of fundamental reactions as new data become available. Of primary interest to the N^* program are πN elastic scattering and the photo- and electroproduction of pions. Other photo-reactions are more model dependent, but may reveal resonances coupling weakly to πN final states. We also mention recent results from nucleon-nucleon elastic scattering, which have a less well-known connection to experimental programs proposing to extract N ^* properties from complete experiments.     

Quark models and polarized electroproduction of the Roper resonance

We calculate the recoil polarization observables for neutral pion electroproduction on the proton. In particular, for theN(938)→N ^*(1440) transition, we study these observables for several quark models of the resonant amplitudes. We find that the polarization response functions, unlike the unpolarized cross section, have encouragingly large sensitivity to the presence of the Roper. Furthermore, these observables can clearly reveal the presence of a longitudinal coupling.     

Dilepton production in proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions at SPS energies

Dilepton production in proton- and nucleus-induced reactions is studied in the relativistic transport model using initial conditions determined by the string dynamics from RQMD. It is found that both the CERES and HELIOS-3 data for dilepton spectra in proton-nucleus reactions can be well described by the ‘conventional’ mechanism of Dalitz decay and direct vector meson decay. However, to provide a quantitative explanation of the observed dilepton spectra in central S+Au and S+W collisions requires contributions other than these direct decays. Introducing a decrease of vector meson masses in hot and dense medium, we find that these heavy-ion data can also be satisfactorily explained. This agrees with our earlier conclusions based on a fire-cylinder model. We also give predictions for Pb+Au collisions at 160 GeV/nucleon using current CERES mass resolution and acceptance.     

Non-strange vector meson production in K−p interactions at 4.2 GeV/c

The vector meson production, hypercharge exchange reactions K^?p → (φ, ω, ?) Λ and (φ, ?) Σ⁰ are studied at 4.2 GeV/c incident momentum. The data come from a high statistics bubble chamber experiment with a sensitivity of ～ 120 events/μb. Total and differential cross sections are presented. The vector meson density matrix elements and hyperon polarization are investigated as functions of momentum transfer. Amplitude analyses are performed for all five reactions. The results are compared with duality and quark model predictions, as well as used to test current ideas in two-body phenomenology.     

Generalized polarizabilities and electroexcitation of the nucleon

Generalized nucleon polarizabilities for virtual photons can be defined in terms of electroproduction cross sections as function of the 4-momentum transfer Q². In particular, the sum of the generalized electric and magnetic polarizabilities Σ=α+β and the spin polarizability γ can be expressed by virtual photon absorption cross sections integrated over the excitation energy. These quantities have been calculated within the framework of the recently developed unitary isobar model for pion photo- and electroproduction on the proton, which describes the available experimental data up to an excitation energy of about 1 GeV. Our results have been compared to the predictions of chiral perturbation theory.     

t-dependences of vector meson diffractive production in ep collisions

We calculate p_T-dependences of diffractive vector meson photo- and electroproduction in electron-proton collisions with and without proton dissociation at the small momenta transfers. The calculated slopes are in good agreement with the data.