Exclusive Processes Induced By Antiprotons: Opportunities for QCD Studies

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of using antiproton-induced exclusive processes at PANDA(FAIR) to test QCD predictions on nucleon structure, focusing on electromagnetic form factors and background processes.

Contribution

It highlights the opportunities for QCD studies via antiproton-induced exclusive processes, including novel measurements of nucleon form factors and analysis of background mechanisms.

Findings

Feasibility of measuring electromagnetic nucleon form factors at PANDA

Identification of background processes like meson pair production

Potential to test QCD predictions on nucleon structure

Abstract

The detection of exclusive processes induced by antiproton beams in the GeV range at PANDA(FAIR) opens possibilities for testing QCD predictions on the nucleon structure. In particular, the measurement of electromagnetic nucleon form factors through the proton-antiproton annihilation in a lepton pair can be studied. However, other processes, although interesting by themselves, play the role of background. We will focus on two examples: an 'electromagnetic process', the S-channel annihilation of proton and antiproton into a neutral pion and a virtual photon (followed by lepton pair emission) and a possible mechanism for the production of kaon and pion pairs, through physical vacuum excitations.