Tagged EMC Measurements on Light Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper proposes an experiment to measure tagged deep inelastic scattering from light nuclei, aiming to differentiate between models explaining the EMC effect by analyzing the initial momentum of bound nucleons and their correlations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental approach using spectator tagging to distinguish between different theoretical explanations of the EMC effect in light nuclei.

Findings

Will provide data to test spectator tagging and final state interactions.

Aims to differentiate between mean field and correlated pair models.

Enhances understanding of the nuclear medium's impact on nucleon structure.

Abstract

We propose to measure tagged deep inelastic scattering from light nuclei (deuterium and $^4$He) by detecting the low energy nuclear spectator recoil (p, $^3$H and $^3$He) in addition to the scattered electron. The proposed experiment will provide stringent tests leading to clear differentiation between the many models describing the EMC effect, by accessing the bound nucleon virtuality through its initial momentum at the point of interaction. Indeed, conventional nuclear physics explanations of the EMC effect mainly based on Fermi motion and binding effects yield very different predictions than more exotic scenarios, where bound nucleons basically loose their identity when embedded in the nuclear medium. By distinguishing events where the interacting nucleon was slow, as described by a mean field scenario, or fast, very likely belonging to a correlated pair, will clearly indicate which phenomenon is relevant to explain the EMC effect. An important challenge for such measurements using nuclear spectators is the control of the theoretical framework and, in particular, final state interactions. This experiment will directly provide the necessary data needed to test our understanding of spectator tagging and final state interactions in $^2$H and $^4$He and their impact on the semi-inclusive measurements of the EMC effect described above.