Electroproduction of Phi(1020) Mesons at High Q² with CLAS

Abstract

This analysis studies the reaction ep → e′p′ϕ in the kinematical range 1.6 ≤ Q² ≤ 3.8 GeV² and 2.0 ≤ W ≤ 3:0 GeV at CLAS. After successful signal identification, total and differential cross sections are measured and compared to the world data set. Comparisons are made to the predictions of the Jean-Marc Laget(JML) model based on Pomeron plus 2-gluon exchange. The overall scaling of the total cross section was determined to be 1/Q^4.6±1.7 which is compatible within errors to the Vector Meson Dominance prediction of 1/Q⁴ as well as to the expected behavior of a quark and gluon exchange-dominated model described by Generalized Parton Distributions of 1/Q⁶. The differential cross section dσ/dφ was used to determine that the s-channel helicity conservation (SCHC) assumption is valid within the precision of the current data. SCHC leads to a simple expression for the decay angular distribution from which R, the ratio of the longitudinal to the transverse cross section, can be extracted. Under the assumption of SCHC, we determine R = 1.33 ± 0.18 at an average Q² of 2.21 GeV² which leads to a determination of the longitudinal cross section σ_L = 5.3 ± 1.3 nb for exclusive ϕ production.