Search

We report on the experimental search for the bound state of an η meson and He3 nucleus performed using the WASA-at-COSY detector setup. In order to search for the η-mesic nucleus decay, the pd→3He2γ and pd→3He6γ channels have been analysed. These reactions manifest the direct decay of the η meson bound in a He3 nucleus. This non-mesonic decay channel has been considered for the first time. When taking into account only statistical errors, the obtained excitation functions reveal a slight indication for a possible bound state signal corresponding to a 3He-η nucleus width Γ above 20 MeV and binding energy Bs between 0 and 15 MeV. However, the determined cross sections are consistent with zero in the range of the systematic uncertainty. Therefore, as final result we estimate only the upper limit for the cross section of the η-mesic He3 nucleus formation followed by the η meson decay which varies between 2 nb and 15 nb depending on possible bound state parameters. Keywords: η-mesic nuclei, η meson

We report on the search for the rare decay η→π0e+e− which is of interest to study C violation in the electromagnetic interaction which would indicate contributions from physics beyond the Standard Model, since the allowed decay via a two-photon intermediate state is strongly suppressed. The experiment has been performed using the WASA-at-COSY installation, located at the COSY accelerator of the Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany. In total 3×107 events of the reaction pd→3Heη have been recorded at an excess energy of Q=59.8MeV. Based on this data set the C parity violating decay η→π0γ⁎→π0e+e− via a single-photon intermediate state has been searched for, resulting in new upper limits of Γ(η→π0e+e−)/Γ(η→π+π−π0)

New data on both total and differential cross sections of the production of η mesons in proton–deuteron fusion to He3η in the excess energy region 13.6MeV≤Qη≤80.9MeV are presented. These data have been obtained with the WASA-at-COSY detector setup located at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, using a proton beam at 15 different beam momenta between pp=1.60GeV/c and pp=1.74GeV/c. While significant structure of the total cross section is observed in the energy region 20MeV≲Qη≲60MeV, a previously reported sharp variation around Qη≈50MeV cannot be confirmed. Angular distributions show the typical forward-peaking that was noted earlier. For the first time, it is possible to study the development of these angular distributions with rising excess energy over a wide interval. Keywords: Meson production, Proton–deuteron interactions, η meson

This letter reports a first quantitative analysis of the contribution of higher partial waves in the charge symmetry breaking reaction dd→4Heπ0 using the WASA-at-COSY detector setup at an excess energy of Q=60MeV. The determined differential cross section can be parametrized as dσ/dΩ=a+bcos2⁡θ⁎, where θ⁎ is the production angle of the pion in the center-of-mass coordinate system, and the results for the parameters are a=(1.55±0.46(stat)+0.32−0.8(syst))pb/sr and b=(13.1±2.1(stat)−2.7+1.0(syst))pb/sr. The data are compatible with vanishing p-waves and a sizable d-wave contribution. This finding should strongly constrain the contribution of the Δ isobar to the dd→4Heπ0 reaction and is, therefore, crucial for a quantitative understanding of quark mass effects in nuclear production reactions. Keywords: Charge symmetry breaking, Deuteron–deuteron interactions, Pion production

Exclusive measurements of the quasi-free pn→ppπ− and pp→ppπ0 reactions have been performed by means of pd collisions at Tp=1.2 GeV using the WASA detector setup at COSY. Total and differential cross sections have been obtained covering the energy region Tp=0.95–1.3 GeV (s=2.3–2.46 GeV), which includes the regions of Δ(1232), N⁎(1440) and d⁎(2380) resonance excitations. From these measurements the isoscalar single-pion production has been extracted, for which data existed so far only below Tp=1 GeV. We observe a substantial increase of this cross section around 1 GeV, which can be related to the Roper resonance N⁎(1440), the strength of which shows up isolated from the Δ resonance in the isoscalar (Nπ)I=0 invariant-mass spectrum. No evidence for a decay of the dibaryon resonance d⁎(2380) into the isoscalar (NNπ)I=0 channel is found. An upper limit of 180 μb (90% C.L.) corresponding to a branching ratio of 9% has been deduced.

Using the production reactions pd→He3ω and pp→ppω, the Dalitz plot distribution for the ω→π+π−π0 decay is studied with the WASA detector at COSY, based on a combined data sample of (4.408±0.042)×104 events. The Dalitz plot density is parametrised by a product of the P-wave phase space and a polynomial expansion in the normalised polar Dalitz plot variables Z and ϕ. For the first time, a deviation from pure P-wave phase space is observed with a significance of 4.1σ. The deviation is parametrised by a linear term 1+2αZ, with α determined to be +0.147±0.036, consistent with the expectations of ρ-meson-type final-state interactions of the P-wave pion pairs.

Various theoretical calculations based on QCD or hadronic interactions predict that in addition to the recently observed dibaryon resonance d⁎(2380) with I(JP)=0(3+) there should also exist a dibaryon resonance with mirrored quantum numbers I(JP)=3(0+). We report here on a search for such a NN-decoupled state in data on the pp→ppπ+π+π−π− reaction. Since no clear-cut evidence has been found, we give upper limits for the production cross section of such a resonance in the mass range 2280–2500 MeV. Keywords: Dibaryons, Four-pion production

The differential cross section for proton–proton elastic scattering has been measured at a beam kinetic energy of 1.0 GeV and in 200 MeV steps from 1.6 to 2.8 GeV for centre-of-mass angles in the range from 12°–16° to 25°–30°, depending on the energy. A precision in the overall normalisation of typically 3% was achieved by studying the energy losses of the circulating beam of the COSY storage ring as it passed repeatedly through the windowless hydrogen target of the ANKE magnetic spectrometer. It is shown that the data have a significant impact upon the results of a partial wave analysis. After extrapolating the differential cross sections to the forward direction, the results are broadly compatible with the predictions of forward dispersion relations. Keywords: Proton–proton elastic scattering, Differential cross section

Exclusive measurements of the quasi-free np→npπ0π0 reaction have been performed by means of dp collisions at Td=2.27 GeV using the WASA detector setup at COSY. Total and differential cross sections have been obtained covering the energy region s=(2.35–2.46) GeV, which includes the region of the ABC effect and its associated d⁎(2380) resonance. Adding the d⁎ resonance amplitude to that for the conventional processes leads to a reasonable description of the data. The observed resonance effect in the total cross section is in agreement with the predictions of Fäldt and Wilkin as well with those of Albadajedo and Oset. The ABC effect, i.e. the low-mass enhancement in the π0π0-invariant mass spectrum, is found to be very modest – if present at all, which might pose a problem to some of its interpretations. Keywords: Two-pion production, ABC effect and resonance structure, Dibaryon resonance

The proton analysing power in p→p elastic scattering has been measured at small angles at COSY-ANKE at 796 MeV and five other beam energies between 1.6 and 2.4 GeV using a polarised proton beam. The asymmetries obtained by detecting the fast proton in the ANKE forward detector or the slow recoil proton in a silicon tracking telescope are completely consistent. Although the analysing power results agree well with the many published data at 796 MeV, and also with the most recent partial wave solution at this energy, the ANKE data at the higher energies lie well above the predictions of this solution at small angles. An updated phase shift analysis that uses the ANKE results together with the World data leads to a much better description of these new measurements. Keywords: Proton–proton elastic scattering, Analysing power, Phase shift analysis

Charge symmetry breaking (CSB) observables are a suitable experimental tool to examine effects induced by quark masses on the nuclear level. Previous high precision data from TRIUMF and IUCF are currently used to develop a consistent description of CSB within the framework of chiral perturbation theory. In this work the experimental studies on the reaction dd→He4π0 have been extended towards higher excess energies in order to provide information on the contribution of p-waves in the final state. For this, an exclusive measurement has been carried out at a beam momentum of pd=1.2 GeV/c using the WASA-at-COSY facility. The total cross section amounts to σtot=(118±18stat±13sys±8ext) pb and first data on the differential cross section are consistent with s-wave pion production. Keywords: Charge symmetry breaking, Deuteron–deuteron interactions, Pion production

This paper reports the first simultaneous measurement of the horizontal and vertical components of the polarization vector in a storage ring under the influence of a radio frequency (rf) solenoid. The experiments were performed at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY in Jülich using a vector polarized, bunched 0.97 GeV/c deuteron beam. Using the new spin feedback system, we set the initial phase difference between the solenoid field and the precession of the polarization vector to a predefined value. The feedback system was then switched off, allowing the phase difference to change over time, and the solenoid was switched on to rotate the polarization vector. We observed an oscillation of the vertical polarization component and the phase difference. The oscillations can be described using an analytical model. The results of this experiment also apply to other rf devices with horizontal magnetic fields, such as Wien filters. The precise manipulation of particle spins in storage rings is a prerequisite for measuring the electric dipole moment (EDM) of charged particles.

In this paper, we demonstrate the connection between a magnetic storage ring with additional sextupole fields set so that the x and y chromaticities vanish and the maximizing of the lifetime of in-plane polarization (IPP) for a 0.97-GeV/c deuteron beam. The IPP magnitude was measured by continuously monitoring the down-up scattering asymmetry (sensitive to sideways polarization) in an in-beam, carbon-target polarimeter and unfolding the precession of the IPP due to the magnetic anomaly of the deuteron. The optimum operating conditions for a long IPP lifetime were made by scanning the field of the storage ring sextupole magnet families while observing the rate of IPP loss during storage of the beam. The beam was bunched and electron cooled. The IPP losses appear to arise from the change of the orbit circumference, and consequently the particle speed and spin tune, due to the transverse betatron oscillations of individual particles in the beam. The effects of these changes are canceled by an appropriate sextupole field setting.

Precision experiments, such as the search for electric dipole moments of charged particles using storage rings, demand for an understanding of the spin dynamics with unprecedented accuracy. The ultimate aim is to measure the electric dipole moments with a sensitivity up to 15 orders in magnitude better than the magnetic dipole moment of the stored particles. This formidable task requires an understanding of the background to the signal of the electric dipole from rotations of the spins in the spurious magnetic fields of a storage ring. One of the observables, especially sensitive to the imperfection magnetic fields in the ring is the angular orientation of stable spin axis. Up to now, the stable spin axis has never been determined experimentally, and in addition, the JEDI collaboration for the first time succeeded to quantify the background signals that stem from false rotations of the magnetic dipole moments in the horizontal and longitudinal imperfection magnetic fields of the storage ring. To this end, we developed a new method based on the spin tune response of a machine to artificially applied longitudinal magnetic fields. This novel technique, called spin tune mapping, emerges as a very powerful tool to probe the spin dynamics in storage rings. The technique was experimentally tested in 2014 using polarized deuterons stored in the cooler synchrotron COSY, and for the first time, the angular orientation of the stable spin axis at two different locations in the ring has been determined to an unprecedented accuracy of better than 2.8 μ rad.

The paper describes the commissioning of the experimental equipment and the machine studies required for the first spin-filtering experiment with protons at a beam kinetic energy of 49.3 MeV in COSY. The implementation of a low-β insertion made it possible to achieve beam lifetimes of τ_{b}=8000 s in the presence of a dense polarized hydrogen storage-cell target of areal density d_{t}=(5.5±0.2)×10^{13} atoms/cm^{2}. The developed techniques can be directly applied to antiproton machines and allow the determination of the spin-dependent p[over ¯]p cross sections via spin filtering.

This paper describes a time-marking system that enables a measurement of the in-plane (horizontal) polarization of a 0.97-GeV/c deuteron beam circulating in the Cooler Synchrotron (COSY) at the Forschungszentrum Jülich. The clock time of each polarimeter event is used to unfold the 120-kHz spin precession and assign events to bins according to the direction of the horizontal polarization. After accumulation for one or more seconds, the down-up scattering asymmetry can be calculated for each direction and matched to a sinusoidal function whose magnitude is proportional to the horizontal polarization. This requires prior knowledge of the spin tune or polarization precession rate. An initial estimate is refined by resorting the events as the spin tune is adjusted across a narrow range and searching for the maximum polarization magnitude. The result is biased toward polarization values that are too large, in part because of statistical fluctuations but also because sinusoidal fits to even random data will produce sizable magnitudes when the phase is left free to vary. An analysis procedure is described that matches the time dependence of the horizontal polarization to templates based on emittance-driven polarization loss while correcting for the positive bias. This information will be used to study ways to extend the horizontal polarization lifetime by correcting spin tune spread using ring sextupole fields and thereby to support the feasibility of searching for an intrinsic electric dipole moment using polarized beams in a storage ring. This paper is a combined effort of the Storage Ring EDM collaboration and the JEDI collaboration.

New measurements are reported for the time dependence of the vertical polarization of a 0.97 GeV/c deuteron beam circulating in a storage ring and perturbed by an rf solenoid. The storage ring is the cooler synchrotron (COSY) located at the Forschungszentrum Jülich. The beam polarization was measured continuously using a 1.5 cm thick carbon target located at the edge of the circulating deuteron beam and the scintillators of the EDDA detector. An rf solenoid mounted on the ring was used to generate fields at and near the frequency of the 1-Gγ spin resonance. Measurements were made of the vertical beam polarization as a function of time with the operation of the rf solenoid in either fixed or continuously variable frequency mode. Using rf-solenoid strengths as large as 2.66×10^{-5} revolutions/turn, slow oscillations (∼1 Hz) were observed in the vertical beam polarization. When the circulating beam was continuously electron cooled, these oscillations completely reversed the polarization and showed no sign of diminishing in amplitude. But for the uncooled beam, the oscillation amplitude was damped to nearly zero within a few seconds. A simple spin-tracking model without the details of the COSY ring lattice was successful in reproducing these oscillations and demonstrating the sensitivity of the damping to the magnitude of the synchrotron motion of the beam particles. The model demonstrates that the characteristic features of measurements made in the presence of large synchrotron oscillations are distinct from the features of such measurements when made off resonance. These data were collected in preparation for a study of the spin coherence time, a beam property that needs to become long to enable a search for an electric dipole moment using a storage ring.

In order to measure the mass of the η meson with high accuracy using the dp→^{3}Heη reaction, the momentum of the circulating deuteron beam in the Cooler Synchrotron COSY of the Forschungszentrum Jülich has to be determined with unprecedented precision. This has been achieved by studying the spin dynamics of the polarized deuteron beam. By depolarizing the beam through the use of an artificially induced spin resonance, it was possible to evaluate its momentum p with a precision of Δp/p

The repeated passage of a coasting ion beam of a storage ring through a thin target induces a shift in the revolution frequency due to the energy loss in the target. Since the frequency shift is proportional to the beam-target overlap, its measurement offers the possibility of determining the target thickness and hence the corresponding luminosity in an experiment. This effect has been investigated with an internal proton beam of energy 2.65 GeV at the COSY-Jülich accelerator using the ANKE spectrometer and a hydrogen cluster-jet target. Possible sources of error, especially those arising from the influence of residual gas in the ring, were carefully studied, resulting in an accuracy of better than 5%. The luminosity determined in this way was used, in conjunction with measurements in the ANKE forward detector, to determine the cross section for elastic proton-proton scattering. The result is compared to published data as well as to the predictions of a phase shift solution. The practicability and the limitations of the energy-loss method are discussed.

Stored beams of polarized protons, electrons, or deuterons can be spin flipped by sweeping an rf dipole’s or solenoid’s frequency through an rf spin resonance. Fitting such data to the modified Froissart-Stora equation’s spin resonance strength E_{FS} gave very large deviations from the ^{*}E_{Bdl} obtained from each rf magnet’s ∫B_{rms}dl. We recently varied an rf dipole’s frequency sweep range Δf, and the momentum spread Δp/p and betatron tune ν_{y} of stored 1.85 GeV/c polarized deuterons. We found a sharp constructive interference when ν_{y} was near an intrinsic spin resonance. Moreover, over large Δf and Δp/p ranges, E_{FS} was about 7 times smaller than the predicted ^{*}E_{Bdl}.

We recently started testing Chao’s proposed new matrix formalism for describing the spin dynamics due to a single spin resonance. The Chao formalism is probably the first fundamental improvement of the Froissart-Stora equation in that it allows analytic calculations of the beam polarization’s behavior inside a resonance. We tested the Chao formalism using a 1.85 GeV/c polarized deuteron beam stored in COSY, by sweeping an rf dipole’s frequency through 200 Hz, while varying the distance from the sweep’s end frequency to an rf-induced spin resonance’s central frequency. Since the Froissart-Stora equation itself can make no prediction inside a resonance, we compared our experimental data with the predictions of the Chao formalism and those of an empirical two-fluid model based on the Froissart-Stora equation. The data strongly favor the Chao formalism.

We recently analyzed all available data on spin-flipping stored beams of polarized protons, electrons, and deuterons. Fitting the modified Froissart-Stora equation to the measured polarization data after crossing an rf-induced spin resonance, we found 10–20-fold deviations from the depolarizing resonance strength equations used for many years. The polarization was typically manipulated by linearly sweeping the frequency of an rf dipole or rf solenoid through an rf-induced spin resonance; spin-flip efficiencies of up to 99.9% were obtained. The Lorentz invariance of an rf dipole’s transverse ∫Bdl and the weak energy dependence of its spin resonance strength E together imply that even a small rf dipole should allow efficient spin flipping in 100 GeV or even TeV storage rings; thus, it is important to understand these large deviations. Therefore, we recently studied the resonance strength deviations experimentally by varying the size and vertical betatron tune of a 2.1 GeV/c polarized proton beam stored in COSY. We found no dependence of E on beam size, but we did find almost 100-fold enhancements when the rf spin resonance was near an intrinsic spin resonance.

It seems improper to publish a theoretical Comment about an experimental Article without mentioning the Article’s referenced theoretical paper, which derived the equation that the Comment claims is incorrect. Our experimental collaboration declines to offer any opinion about which factor of 2 is correct.

We recently studied the spin manipulation of 1.85 GeV/c vertically polarized deuterons stored in the COSY cooler synchrotron. We adiabatically swept an rf dipole’s frequency through an rf-induced spin resonance and observed its effect on the deuterons’ vector and tensor polarizations. After optimizing the resonance crossing rate and maximizing the rf dipole’s voltage, we measured spin-flip efficiencies of 97±1% and 98.5±0.3% in two separate runs. We also confirmed at higher energy the striking behavior of the spin-1 tensor polarization recently found at IUCF.

We recently studied spin flipping of a 1.94 GeV/c vertically polarized proton beam at COSY in Jülich, Germany. We swept an rf-dipole’s frequency through an rf-induced spin resonance to flip the beam’s polarization direction. After determining the resonance’s frequency, we varied the dipole’s strength, frequency range, and frequency ramp time. At the rf-dipole’s maximum strength, and optimum frequency range and ramp time, we measured a spin-flip efficiency of 99.3%±0.1%. This result indicates that an rf dipole may allow efficient spin flipping in high energy proton rings.