Search

We use a generalization of the Rosenbluth separation method for a model independent simultaneous extraction of the Compton Form Factors H and E, from virtual Compton scattering data on an unpolarized target. A precise evaluation of H and E, enabled by the proposed method, is the first step towards pinning down the distribution of angular momentum inside the proton.

Using the helicity amplitudes formalism, we study deeply virtual exclusive electron photo-production off an unpolarized nucleon target, $ep \rightarrow e' p' \gamma$, through a range of kinematics both in the fixed target setting with initial electron energies of 6 GeV, 11 GeV and 24 GeV, and for an electron ion collider. We reformulate the cross section bringing to the forefront the defining features of the $ep \rightarrow e'p'\gamma$ process, where the observables are expressed as bilinear products of the independent helicity amplitudes which completely describe it in terms of the electric, magnetic and axial currents of the nucleon. %This structure is reflected in different ways in the Deeply virtual Compton scattering and Bethe-Heitler parts of the cross section. % These contributions are checked against the Fourier harmonics-based formalism which has provided so far the underlying mathematical framework to study Deeply virtual Compton scattering and related experiments. Using theoretical model calculations of the twist-two generalized parton distributions, $ H$, $E$, $\widetilde{H}$ and $\widetilde{E}$, we uncover large discrepancies between the harmonic series and our proposed framework. Most importantly, these numerical differences appear in the intermediate $Q^2$ range which represents a sweet spot for extracting generalized parton distributions from data. % We provide a framework that is ideal, on one side, to study and compare the different conventions that can be used to describe the leading order contribution to DVCS in QCD, while on the other, it facilitates a quantitative extraction of physically meaningful information from experiment through traceable and controllable approximations in the intermediate $Q^2$ region., Comment: 22 pages, 15 figures

Positron beams, both polarized and unpolarized, are identified as essential ingredients for the experimental programs at the next generation of lepton accelerators. In the context of the hadronic physics program at Jefferson Lab (JLab), positron beams are complementary, even essential, tools for a precise understanding of the electromagnetic structure of nucleons and nuclei, in both the elastic and deep-inelastic regimes. For instance, elastic scattering of polarized and unpolarized electrons and positrons from the nucleon enables a model independent determination of its electromagnetic form factors. Also, the deeply-virtual scattering of polarized and unpolarized electrons and positrons allows unambiguous separation of the different contributions to the cross section of the lepto-production of photons and of lepton-pairs, enabling an accurate determination of the nucleons and nuclei generalized parton distributions, and providing an access to the gravitational form factors. Furthermore, positron beams offer the possibility of alternative tests of the Standard Model of particle physics through the search of a dark photon, the precise measurement of electroweak couplings, and the investigation of charged lepton flavor violation. This document discusses the perspectives of an experimental program with high duty-cycle positron beams at JLab., Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures This version superseeds the previous version which scientific content was decomposed into several more elaborated articles. All of these articles will be collected in the EPJ A Topical Issue about "Positron beam and physics at Jefferson Lab (e+@Jlab)"

The strong force which binds hadrons is described by the theory of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Determining the character and manifestations of QCD is one of the most important and challenging outstanding issues necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the structure of hadrons. Within the context of the QCD parton picture, the Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs) have been remarkably successful in describing a wide variety of processes. However, these PDFs have generally been confined to the description of collinear partons within the hadron. New experiments and facilities provide the opportunity to additionally explore the transverse structure of hadrons which is described by Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) and Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distribution Functions (TMD PDFs). In our previous review, we compared and contrasted the two main approaches used to determine the collinear PDFs: the first based on perturbative QCD factorization theorems, and the second based on lattice QCD calculations. In the present report, we provide an update of recent progress on the collinear PDFs, and also expand the scope to encompass the generalized PDFs (GPDs and TMD PDFs). We review the current state of the various calculations, and consider what new data might be available in the near future. We also examine how a shared effort can foster dialog between the PDF and Lattice QCD communities, and yield improvements for these generalized PDFs., 2020 PDFLattice Report, 64 pages, 34 figures

The last decade has seen a marked shift in how the internal structure of hadrons is understood. Modern experimental facilities, new theoretical techniques for the continuum bound-state problem and progress with lattice-regularised QCD have provided strong indications that soft quark+quark (diquark) correlations play a crucial role in hadron physics. For example, theory indicates that the appearance of such correlations is a necessary consequence of dynamical chiral symmetry breaking, viz. a corollary of emergent hadronic mass that is responsible for almost all visible mass in the universe; experiment has uncovered signals for such correlations in the flavour-separation of the proton's electromagnetic form factors; and phenomenology suggests that diquark correlations might be critical to the formation of exotic tetra- and penta-quark hadrons. A broad spectrum of such information is evaluated herein, with a view to consolidating the facts and therefrom moving toward a coherent, unified picture of hadron structure and the role that diquark correlations might play., 113 pages, 41 figures, 8 tables

The strong force which binds hadrons is described by the theory of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Determining the character and manifestations of QCD is one of the most important and challenging outstanding issues necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the structure of hadrons. Within the context of the QCD parton picture, the Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs) have been remarkably successful in describing a wide variety of processes. However, these PDFs have generally been confined to the description of collinear partons within the hadron. New experiments and facilities provide the opportunity to additionally explore the transverse structure of hadrons which is described by Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) and Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distribution Functions (TMD PDFs). In our previous review, we compared and contrasted the two main approaches used to determine the collinear PDFs: the first based on perturbative QCD factorization theorems, and the second based on lattice QCD calculations. In the present report, we provide an update of recent progress on the collinear PDFs, and also expand the scope to encompass the generalized PDFs (GPDs and TMD PDFs). We review the current state of the various calculations, and consider what new data might be available in the near future. We also examine how a shared effort can foster dialog between the PDF and Lattice QCD communities, and yield improvements for these generalized PDFs.

We provide the general expression of the cross section for exclusive deeply virtual photon electroproduction from a spin 1/2 target using current parameterizations of the off-forward correlation function in a nucleon for different beam and target polarization configurations up to twist three accuracy. All contributions to the cross section including deeply virtual Compton scattering, the Bethe-Heitler process, and their interference, are described within a helicity amplitude based framework which is also relativistically covariant and readily applicable to both the laboratory frame and in a collider kinematic setting. Our formalism renders a clear physical interpretation of the various components of the cross section by making a connection with the known characteristic structure of the electron scattering coincidence reactions. In particular, we focus on the total angular momentum, $J_z$, and on the orbital angular momentum, $L_z$. On one side, we uncover an avenue to a precise extraction of $J_z$, given by the combination of generalized parton distributions, $H+E$, through a generalization of the Rosenbluth separation method used in elastic electron proton scattering. On the other, we single out for the first time, the twist three angular modulations of the cross section that are sensitive to $L_z$. The proposed generalized Rosenbluth technique adds an important constraint for mapping the 3D structure of the nucleon., Comment: 62 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables

In the past two decades, deeply virtual Compton scattering of electrons has been successfully used to advance our knowledge of the partonic structure of the free proton and investigate correlations between the transverse position and the longitudinal momentum of quarks inside the nucleon. Meanwhile, the structure of bound nucleons in nuclei has been studied in inclusive deep-inelastic lepton scattering experiments off nuclear targets, showing a significant difference in longitudinal momentum distribution of quarks inside the bound nucleon, known as the EMC effect. In this work, we report the first beam spin asymmetry (BSA) measurement of exclusive deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) off a proton bound in $^4$He. The data used here were accumulated using a $6$ GeV longitudinally polarized electron beam incident on a pressurized $^4$He gaseous target placed within the CLAS spectrometer in Hall-B at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The azimuthal angle ($\phi$) dependence of the BSA was studied in a wide range of virtual photon and scattered proton kinematics. The $Q^2$, $x_B$, and t dependencies of the BSA on the bound proton are compared with those on the free proton. In the whole kinematical region of our measurements, the BSA on the bound proton is smaller by 20\% to 40\%, indicating possible medium modification of its partonic structure.

Progress in particle and nuclear physics 100, 107 - 160 (2018). doi:10.1016/j.ppnp.2018.01.007, In the framework of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), parton distribution functions (PDFs) quantify how the momentum and spin of a hadron are divided among its quark and gluon constituents. Two main approaches exist to determine PDFs. The first approach, based on QCD factorization theorems, realizes a QCD analysis of a suitable set of hard-scattering measurements, often using a variety of hadronic observables. The second approach, based on first-principle operator definitions of PDFs, uses lattice QCD to compute directly some PDF-related quantities, such as their moments. Motivated by recent progress in both approaches, in this document we present an overview of lattice-QCD and global-analysis techniques used to determine unpolarized and polarized proton PDFs and their moments. We provide benchmark numbers to validate present and future lattice-QCD calculations and we illustrate how they could be used to reduce the PDF uncertainties in current unpolarized and polarized global analyses. This document represents a first step towards establishing a common language between the two communities, to foster dialogue and to further improve our knowledge of PDFs., Published by Elsevier, Oxford [u.a.]

The European physical journal / A 53(4), 71 (2017). doi:10.1140/epja/i2017-12251-4, A polarized ep/eA collider (Electron-Ion Collider, or EIC), with polarized proton and light-ion beams and unpolarized heavy-ion beams with a variable center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} ∼ 20 to ∼100 GeV$ (upgradable to $∼ 150 GeV$) and a luminosity up to $∼ 10^{34} cm^{-2}s^{-1}$, would be uniquely suited to address several outstanding questions of Quantum Chromodynamics, and thereby lead to new qualitative and quantitative information on the microscopic structure of hadrons and nuclei. During this meeting at Jefferson Lab we addressed recent theoretical and experimental developments in the spin and the three-dimensional structure of the nucleon (sea quark and gluon spatial distributions, orbital motion, polarization, and their correlations). This mini-review contains a short update on progress in these areas since the EIC White paper (A. Accardi et al., Eur. Phys. J. A 52, 268 (2016))., Published by Springer, Berlin

We present a physically motivated parametrization of the chiral-odd generalized parton distributions. The parametrization is an extension of our previous one in the chiral-even sector which was based on the Reggeized diquark model. While for chiral-even generalized distributions a quantitative fit with uncertainty estimation can be performed using deep inelastic scattering data, nucleon electromagnetic, axial and pseudoscalar form factors measurements, and all available deeply virtual Compton scattering data, the chiral-odd sector is far less constrained. While awaiting the analysis of measurements on pseudoscalar mesons exclusive electroproduction which are key for the extraction of chiral-odd GPDs, we worked out a connection between the chiral-even and chiral-odd reduced helicity amplitudes using parity transformations. The connection works for quark-parton models including both scalar and axial vector diquark models, and spectator models in general. This relation allows us to estimate the size of the various chiral-odd contributions and it opens the way for future quantitative fits.

We present a critical discussion of the observables that have been recently put forth to describe quarks and gluons orbital angular momentum distributions. Starting from a standard parameterization of the energy momentum tensor in QCD one can single out two forms of angular momentum, a so-called kinetic term, generally associated with the Ji decomposition, and a canonical term from the Jaffe Manohar decomposition. Orbital angular momentum has been connected to a Generalized Transverse Momentum Distribution (GTMD), for the canonical term, and to a twist three Generalized Parton Distribution for the kinetic term. We argue that while the latter appears as an azymuthal angular modulation in the longitudinal target spin asymmetry in deeply virtual Compton scattering, due to parity constraints, the GTMD associated with canonical angular momentum cannot be measured in a similar set of experiments.

We argue that due to Parity constraints, the helicity combination of the purely momentum space counterparts of the Wigner distributions -- the generalized transverse momentum distributions -- that describes the configuration of an unpolarized quark in a longitudinally polarized nucleon, can enter the deeply virtual Compton scattering amplitude only through matrix elements involving a final state interaction. The relevant matrix elements in turn involve light cone operators projections in the transverse direction, or they appear in the deeply virtual Compton scattering amplitude at twist three. Orbital angular momentum or the spin structure of the nucleon was a major reason for these various distributions and amplitudes to have been introduced. We show that the twist three contributions associated to orbital angular momentum %to deeply virtual Compton scattering provide observables related to orbital angular momentum and are related to the target-spin asymmetry in deeply virtual Compton scattering, already measured at HERMES., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures; version published in Physics Letters B

We present recent developments on the role of the running coupling constant at the intersection of perturbative and nonperturbative QCD. A number of experiments show a smooth transition from small to large scales given by the four-momentum transfer in the reactions. This is at variance with perturbative QCD where the running coupling constant becomes infinite when the scale equals $\Lambda_{{\tiny QCD}}$. Approaches using an effective coupling constant could help interpret the opposite trend of data as compared to standard perturbative QCD predictions. We give an overview of the role of the coupling constant in the procedure to match nonperturbative hadronic model to perturbative QCD and we propose an extraction of an effective coupling constant from inclusive electron proton scattering data at large Bjorken x., Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the QCD Evolution Workshop, JLab, May 14-17, 2012. Includes ws-ijmpcs.cls

Exclusive $\pi^o$ electroproduction from nucleons was first suggested by Ahmad, Goldstein and Liuti for extracting from experimental data the tensor charge, transversity and other quantities related to chiral odd combinations of generalized parton distributions. We now explain the details of the process: {\it i)} the connection between the helicity description and the cartesian basis; {\it ii)} the dependence on the momentum transfer squared, $Q^2$, and {\it iii)} the angular momentum, parity, and charge conjugation constraints ($J^{PC}$ quantum numbers)., Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, some changes in formalism, and text. Introduced section titles

We describe a new method to extract parton distribution functions from hard scattering processes based on Self-Organizing Maps. The extension to a larger, and more complex class of soft matrix elements, including generalized parton distributions is also discussed., 6 pages, 3 figures, to be published in the proceedings of ACAT 2011, 14th International Workshop on Advanced Computing and Analysis Techniques in Physics Research

We propose an extraction of the running coupling constant of QCD in the infrared region from experimental data on deep inelastic inclusive scattering at Bjorken x -> 1. We first attempt a perturbative fit of the data that extends NLO PQCD evolution to large x values and final state invariant mass, W, in the resonance region. We include both target mass corrections and large x resummation effects. These effects are of order O(1/Q^2), and they improve the agreement with the Q^2 dependence of the data. Standard analyses require the presence of additional power corrections, or dynamical higher twists, to achieve a fully quantitative fit. Our analysis, however, is regulated by the value of the strong coupling in the infrared region that enters through large x resummation effects, and that can suppress, or absorb, higher twist effects. Large x data therefore indirectly provide a measurement of this quantity that can be compared to extractions from other observables., 10 pages, 3 figures

We derive a sum rule for the total quark angular momentum of a spin-one hadronic system within a gauge invariant decomposition of the hadron's spin. We show that the total angular momentum can be measured through deeply virtual Compton scattering experiments using transversely polarized deuteron targets., 4 pages, 2 figures, changes in text, figures changed, references changed

Exclusive meson leptoproduction from nucleons in the deeply virtual exchanged boson limit can be described by generalized parton distributions (GPDs). Including spin dependence in the description requires 8 independent quark-parton and gluon-parton functions. The chiral even subset of 4 quark-nucleon GPDs are related to nucleon form factors and to parton distribution functions. The chiral odd set of 4 quark-nucleon GPDs are related to transversity, the tensor charge, and other quantities related to transversity. Different meson or photon production processes access different combinations of GPDs. This is analyzed in terms of $t$-channel exchange quantum numbers, $J^{PC}$ and it is shown that pseudoscalar production can isolate chiral odd GPDs. There is a sensitive dependence in various cross sections and asymmetries on the tensor charge of the nucleon and other transversity parameters. In a second section, analyticity and completeness are shown to limit the partonic interpretation of the GPDs in the ERBL region., 8 pages, 2 figures, presented at Exclusives 2010 Workshop, May 18-20, Jefferson Lab

In this work we derive a sum rule for the angular momentum of a spin 1 hadronic system., Comment: 5 pages, to appear in Proceedings of XVIII International Workshop on Deep-Inelastic Scattering and Related Subjects, April 19 -23, 2010, Convitto della Calza, Firenze, Italy

We summarize the main results of the Spin Physics Working Group Sessions at DIS 2010, the XVIII International Workshop on Deep Inelastic Scattering and Related Subjects., Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the XVIII International Workshop on Deep Inelastic Scattering and Related Subjects, Firenze (Italy) April 19th to 23rd, 2010

In most experiments aimed at determining the masses and mixing parameters for neutrino oscillations in different energy regimes there are strong backgrounds to neutrino interactions with matter that can confuse the expected small signals. One particular set of backgrounds is due to neutrino production of mesons, particularly pions, from nucleon or nuclear targets. It is especially important and theoretically interesting in itself to study $coherent$ neutrino production of pions, i.e. wherein the target does not break up. Preserving the target requires that the meson produced in the reaction will be charged for Charged Current (CC) interactions or neutral for Neutral Current (NC) interactions. Coherent scattering is the weak analog of exclusive neutral meson electroproduction for which considerable progress has been made in understanding the intermediate energy, small momentum transfer region by applying the Generalized Parton Distribution (GPD) phenomenology. The GPD perspective will be explained with emphasis on how the understanding gained from electroproduction of neutral pions can carry over to the neutrino processes., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, talks presented at Nufact 09, July 20-25, 2009, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago

Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering and electroproduction of mesons involve amplitudes that are analytic in energy. Analyticity enables Dispersion Relations (DR's) for such amplitudes, relating real and imaginary parts. Lately it has been suggested that DR's be applied to the integrated Generalized Parton Distributions that embody the spin-dependent soft, but factorizable part of the scattering. However, at non-zero momentum transfer, DRs require integration over unphysical regions of the variables. We show that the relevant unphysical region of the non-forward DRs is considerable, vitiating efforts to avoid the actual measurement of the real parts more directly., 5 pages, 4 figures, DIS09 contribution to be published in Proceedings

Exclusive pi0 electroproduction from nucleons at large photon virtuality can be described in terms of Generalized Parton Distributions, particularly the chiral odd subset. Chiral odd GPDs are related to transversity and can be accessed experimentally for various special choices of observables. This is accomplished by choosing C-parity odd and chiral odd combinations of t-channel exchange quantum numbers. These GPDs are calculated in a spectator model, and are constrained by boundary functions. Alternatively, the production amplitudes correspond to C-odd Regge exchanges with final state interactions. The helicity structure of the virtual photoproduction amplitudes provides relations between the partonic description via GPDs and the hadronic, Regge description of C-odd processes, all via quark helicity flip. GPDs, in general, are analytic functions of energy variables. Their integrals over unobservable parton momenta thereby satisfy Dispersion Relations (DR). Using DR's could allow the real part of the amplitudes, the integrated GPDs, to be extracted from the more easily measured imaginary parts. However, at non-zero momentum transfer DRs require integration over unphysical regions of the variables. We show that the relevant unphysical region of the non-forward DRs is considerable. This will vitiate the efforts to avoid the actual measurement of the real parts more directly., 5 pages, 4 figures, Spin 2008 contribution, to be published in Proceedings

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) has brought the study of spin effects in hadronic collisions to a new energy regime. In conjunction with other experiments at facilities around the world, much can be learned from the high-energy polarized proton collisions RHIC provides, allowing the collider to serve as a powerful tool to continue to understand the rich subtleties and surprises of spin effects in QCD, some of which were originally discovered more than three decades ago., 6 pages, 7 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on Spin Physics (SPIN2008)

Using as basic observable an angular-integrated asymmetry to be measured in Drell-Yan lepton-pair production at the LHC, we discuss the identification reach on the spin-2 of the lowest-lying Randall-Sundrum resonance predicted by gravity in one warped extra dimension, against the spin-1 and spin-0 hypotheses. Numerical results indicate that, depending on the graviton coupling strength to the standard model particles, such a spin-2 identification can extend up to mass scales of 1.0-1.6 TeV and 2.4-3.2 TeV for LHC integrated luminosities of 10 and 100 fb^{-1}, respectively., 6 pages, 2 figures, talk presented at the 18th International Symposium on Spin Physics (SPIN 2008), Charlottesville, VA, October 6-11, 2008

I examine the uncertainty of perturbative QCD factorization for (un)polarized hadron structure functions in deep inelastic scattering at a large value of the Bjorken variable xB. The focus will be on Target Mass Corrections and Jet Mass Corrections in the collinear factorization framework., 4 pages, 1 figure. Talk given at "SPIN2008", University of Virginia, October 6-11 2008

The nuclear physics experiments at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility often require longitudinally polarized electrons to be simultaneously delivered to three experimental halls. The degree of longitudinal polarization to each hall varies as function of the accelerator settings, making it challenging in certain situations to deliver a high degree of longitudinal polarization to all the halls simultaneously. Normally, the degree of longitudinal polarization the halls receive is optimized by changing the initial spin direction at the beginning of the machine with a Wien filter. Herein, it is shown that it is possible to further improve the degree of longitudinal polarization for multiple experimental halls by redistributing the energy gain of the CEBAF linacs while keeping the total energy gain fixed., 4 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on Spin Physics (SPIN2008)

The longitudinal-transverse spin asymmetry $A_{LT}$ in the polarized Drell-Yan process depends on twist-3 quark distributions of nucleon. In addition to the contributions associated with the twist-3 operators, these distributions contain the "Wandzura-Wilczek (WW)" part, which is determined by a certain integral of twist-2 distributions. The recently obtained empirical information on the transversity allows a realistic estimate of the WW contribution to $A_{LT}$ for the polarized $p\bar{p}$ collisions. Our results indicate that rather large $A_{LT}$ ($\sim 10$%) can be observed in the proposed spin experiments at GSI, with novel pattern as a function of dilepton mass compared with $A_{TT}$ and $A_{LL}$., 4 pages, 2 figures; to appear in the proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on Spin Physics (SPIN20008), October 6 - 11, 2008, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

18th International Spin Physics Symposium, SPIN 2008, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, 6 Oct 2008 - 11 Oct 2008; AIP conference proceedings 1149, 80-89 (2009). doi:10.1063/1.3215768, After termination of the LEAR facility in 1996 and the restriction of the CERN antiproton program to Trap experiments, stored antiprotons at low and medium energies are no longer available for experiments. FAIR at GSI (Darmstadt) will provide intense stored antiproton beams in less than a decade from now. This has renewed the interest in polarized antiprotons originally proposed for LEAR. In August 2007, an International Workshop was organized at the Cockcroft Institute (Daresbury) and methods to polarize stored antiprotons were discussed. In June 2008, a Heraeus Seminar at the Physikzentrum in Bad Honnef dealing with the same subject took place. The results of these workshops will be presented with some historical remarks and an account of the recent developments., Published by Inst., Melville, NY

Selected highlights in experimental spin physics are presented and dicussed.

In the past few years, a program has been set up at KVI to study the effects of three‐nucleon forces in various reactions. Several observables in elastic and break‐up channels in proton‐deuteron scattering have been measured and compared with state‐of‐the‐art Faddeev calculations using modern two‐body forces and a number of three‐body forces. For the elastic scattering process, the data‐base is now large enough to perform a partial wave analysis to provide an unambiguous description of nuclear forces. For the break‐up reaction, data are emerging at intermediate energies revealing interesting aspects of nuclear forces.

AIP Conference Proceedings - AIP, 2009. - ISBN - doi:10.1063/1.3215743 18th International Spin Physics Symposium, SPIN 2008, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, 6 Oct 2008 - 11 Oct 2008; AIP conference proceedings 1149, 709-714 (2009). doi:10.1063/1.3215743, Measurements at future electron accelerators will require unprecedented precision in the determination of electron beam polarization. Existing and novel electron beam polarization measurement schemes are examined, and ideas are being presented of how to to achieve sub‐1% precision in polarization determination., Published by Inst., Melville, NY

The weak vector and axial-vector form factors have been investigated for the semi-leptonic octet baryon decays in the chiral constituent quark model with configuration mixing (\chiCQM_{config}). The effects of SU(3) symmetry breaking and configuration mixing have also been investigated and the results are not only in good agreement with existing experimental data but also show improvement over other phenomenological models., 5 pages, 2 tables. Presented at the 18th International Spin Physics Symposium, University of Virginia, USA, October 6-11, 2008

The pretzelosity distribution function $h_{1T}^\perp$ is studied in a covariant the quark-parton model which describes the structure of the nucleon in terms of 3D quark intrinsic motion. This relativistic model framework supports the relation between helicity, transversity and pretzelosity observed in other relativistic models {\sl without} assuming SU(6) spin-flavor symmetry. Numerical results and predictions for SIDIS experiments are presented., 5 pages, 1 figure, prepared for the Symposium on Spin physics SPIN2008

Neural network algorithms have been recently applied to construct Parton Distribution Function (PDF) parametrizations which provide an alternative to standard global fitting procedures. We propose a technique based on an interactive neural network algorithm using Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs). SOMs are a class of clustering algorithms based on competitive learning among spatially-ordered neurons. Our SOMs are trained on selections of stochastically generated PDF samples. The selection criterion for every optimization iteration is based on the features of the clustered PDFs. Our main goal is to provide a fitting procedure that, at variance with the standard neural network approaches, allows for an increased control of the systematic bias by enabling user interaction in the various stages of the process., 34 pages, 17 figures, minor revisions, 2 figures updated

We propose a physically motivated parametrization for the unpolarized generalized parton distributions, H and E, valid at both zero and non-zero values of the skewness variable, \zeta. At \zeta=0, H and E are determined using constraints from simultaneous fits of experimental data on both the nucleon elastic form factors and the deep inelastic structure functions. Lattice calculations of the higher moments constrain the parametrization at \zeta > 0. Our method provides a step towards a model independent extraction of generalized distributions from the data that is alternative to the mathematical ansatz of double distributions., Proceedings of DIS 2007, p.771-774, ISBN 978-3-935702-23-2, ISSN 1435-8077

We study both polarized and unpolarized proton structure functions in the kinematical region of large Bjorken x and four-momentum transfer of few GeV^2. In this region the phenomenon of parton-hadron duality takes place between the smooth continuation of the deep inelastic scattering curve and the average of the nucleon resonances. We present results on a perturbative-QCD analysis using all recent accurate data with the aim of extracting the infrared behavior of the nucleon structure functions., 7 pages, 2 figures, to be published in the Proceedings of the "1st Workshop on Quark-Hadron Duality and the Transition to Pertrubative QCD", Frascati, Italy, June 6-8, 2005

We evaluate within a microscopic calculation the contributions of both coherent and incoherent deeply virtual Compton scattering from a spin-0 nucleus. The coherent contribution is obtained when the target nucleus recoils as a whole, whereas for incoherent scattering break-up configurations for the final nucleus into a an outgoing nucleon and an $A-1$ system are considered. The two processes encode different characteristics of generalized parton distributions., 7 pages, 3 figures

We study the structure of generalized parton distributions in spin 0 nuclei within a microscopic approach for nuclear dynamics. GPDs can be used on one side as tools to unravel the deep inelastic transverse structure of nuclei in terms of both transverse spatial and transverse momentum degrees of freedom. On the other, one can obtain information on GPDs themselves by observing how they become modified in the nuclear environment. We derive the structure of the nuclear deeply virtual Compton scattering tensor and generalized parton distributions at leading order in $Q$ in a field-theoretical framework. The nuclear generalized parton distributions are calculated using a two step process -- the convolution approach -- where the scattering process happens from a quark inside a nucleon, itself inside a nucleus, disregarding final state interactions with both the nuclear and nucleon debris. We point out that details of the nuclear long range interactions such as two-body currents, can be disregarded compared to the deep inelastic induced modifications of the bound GPDs. We show how the pattern of nuclear modifications predicted, and in particular the deviations of off-shell effects from the longitudinal convolution provide clear signals to be sought in experimental measurements. Finally, we find interesting relationships by studying Mellin moments in nuclei: in particular we predict the $A$-dependence for the $D$-term of GPDs within a microscopic approach, and the behavior with $t$ of the total momentum carried by quarks in a nucleus. The latter provides an important element for the evaluation of nuclear hadronization phenomena which are vital for interpreting current and future data at RHIC, HERMES and Jefferson Lab., 29 pages, 10 figures

Quark-hadron duality is studied in a systematic way for both the unpolarized and polarized structure functions, by taking into account all the available data in the resonance region.In both cases, a detailed perturbative QCD based analysis of the structure functions integrals in the resonance region is performed: non perturbative contributions are disentangled, and higher twist terms are evaluated. A different behavior between the unpolarized and polarized structure functions at low Q^2 is found., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

A large fraction of the world data on both polarized and unpolarized inclusive $ep$ scattering at large Bjorken $x$ lies in the resonance region where a correspondence with the deep inelastic regime, known as Bloom and Gilman's duality, was observed. Recent analyses of the $Q^2$ dependence of the data show that parton-hadron duality is inconsistent with the twist expansion at low values of the final state invariant mass. We investigate the nature of this disagreement, and we interpret its occurrence in terms of contributions from non partonic degrees of freedom in a preconfinement model., 5 pages, 1 figure, to be published in the Proceedings of the "3rd International Symposium on the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn Sum Rule and its Extensions", Editors, J.P. Chen and S. Kuhn

Physical review / D 69(1), 014505 (2004). doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.69.014505, We study the phenomenon of parton-hadron duality in both polarized and unpolarized electron proton scattering using the HERMES and the Jefferson Lab data, respectively. In both cases we extend a systematic perturbative QCD based analysis to the integrals of the structure functions in the resonance region. After subtracting target mass corrections and large x resummation effects, we extract the remaining power corrections up to order 1/Q2. We find a sizable suppression of these terms with respect to analyses using deep inelastic scattering data. The suppression appears consistently in both polarized and unpolarized data, except for the low Q2 polarized data, where a large negative higher twist contribution remains. A similar trend is found by using phenomenological parametrizations of the data, which include nonperturbative type corrections. Possible scenarios generating this behavior are discussed., Published by Inst., Woodbury, NY

We present results of a perturbative QCD analysis of deep inelastic measurements of both the deuteron and proton structure functions. We evaluate the theoretical uncertainty associated to nuclear effects in the deuteron, and we extract simultaneously the isospin depedendence of: i)the higher twists terms; ii) the ratio of the longitudinal to transverse cross sections; iii) the ratio of the neutron to proton structure functions. The extraction of the latter, in particular, has been at the center of an intense debate. Its accurate determination is crucial both theoretically and for the interpretation of the more precise neutrino experiments including the newly planned high intensity 50 GeV proton synchrotron., 33 pages, 16 figures

We study the global Q^2 dependence of large x, F_2 nucleon structure function data, with the aim of providing a perturbative-QCD based, quantitative analysis of parton-hadron duality. As opposed to previous analyses at fixed x, we use a framework in fixed W^2. We uncover a breakdown of the twist-4 approximation with a renormalon type improvement at O(1/Q^4) which, by affecting the initial evolution of parton distributions, will have consequences for pQCD analyses also at large x and very large Q^2., RevTex4, 8 pages, 3 figures