Nuclear and Q{sup 2} dependence of quaselastic (e,e{prime}p) scattering at large momentum transfer

Abstract

An experiment was completed at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in which measurements of the (e,e{prime}p) coincidence quasielastic cross section in nuclei were extended to the largest possible Q{sup 2} attainable with the Nuclear Physics Injector and the End Station A spectrometers. Coincidence measurements of the quasielastic (e,e{prime}p) cross section were made on nuclei from carbon to gold in the Q{sup 2} range of 1-7 (GeV/c){sup 2}. Several papers describing the results were published or submitted. Analysis of the data is in its final stages. In summary, the cross section for quasielastic {sup 12}C(e,e{prime}p) scattering was measured at momentum transfer Q{sup 2}=1, 3, 5, and 6.8 (GeV/c){sup 2}. The results are consistent with scattering from a single nucleon as the dominant process. The nuclear transparency is obtained and compared with theoretical calculations that incorporate color transparency effects. No significant rise of the transparency with Q{sup 2} is observed. Cross sections were reported for the reaction {sup 2}H(e,e{prime}p)n for momentum transfers in the range 1.2 {<=}Q{sup 2}{<=}6.8 (GeV/c){sup 2} and for missing momenta from 0 to 250 MeV/c. The longitudinal-transverse interference structure function was separated at Q{sup 2}=1.5 (GeV/c){sup 2}. The observables were compared to calculations performed in nonrelativistic and relativistic frameworks. The data are best described by a fully relativistic calculation. The A-dependence of the quasielastic A(e,e{prime}p) reaction was studied with {sup 2}H, C, Fe, and Au nuclei at momentum transfers Q{sup 2}=1, 3, 5, and 6.8 (GeV/c){sup 2}. The nuclear transparency T A,Q{sup 2}, a measure of the average probability that the struck proton escapes from the nucleu A without interaction, was extracted. Several calculations predict a significant increase in T with momentum transfer, a phenomenon known as color transparency. No significant rise within errors is seen for any of the nuclei studied.

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