Precise measurement of deuteron tensor analyzing powers with BLAST

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Particle Physics

Background:

• Deuteron tensor analyzing powers are crucial for understanding nuclear forces.
• Previous measurements had limited precision in certain momentum transfer ranges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To precisely measure deuteron tensor analyzing powers T(20) and T(21).
• To determine deuteron charge monopole and quadrupole form factors with improved accuracy.
• To constrain theoretical models of nuclear interactions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Bates Large Acceptance Spectrometer Toroid at MIT-Bates.
• Employed a highly polarized deuterium internal gas target.
• Collected data over a momentum transfer range of Q=2.15-4.50 fm(-1).

Main Results:

• Achieved excellent agreement between experimental data and effective field theory calculations.
• Separated deuteron charge monopole (G(C)) and quadrupole (G(Q)) form factors with enhanced precision.
• Confirmed the location of the first node of G(C) at Q=4.19±0.05 fm(-1).

Conclusions:

• The new data strongly constrain theoretical models in the studied momentum transfer range.
• The findings validate effective field theory predictions for deuteron structure.
• Improved precision in form factor determination advances our understanding of the deuteron.