Engineering topics

Hirai, M

Publications and source records attributed to Hirai, M.

3 records

DOE OSTI2011

Selected topics on parton distribution functions

We report recent studies on structure functions of the nucleon and nuclei. First, clustering effects are investigated in the structure function F{sub 2} of {sup 9}Be for explaining an unusual nuclear correction found in a JLab experiment. We propose that high densities created by formation of clustering structure like 2{alpha}+neutron in {sup 9}Be is the origin of the unexpected JLab result by using the antisymmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD). There is an approved proposal at JLab to investigate the structure functions of light nuclei including the cluster structure, so that much details will become clear in a few years. Second, tensor-polarized quark and antiquark distributions are obtained by analyzing HERMES measurements on the structure function b{sub 1} for the deuteron. The result suggests a finite tensor polarization for antiquark distributions, which is an interesting topic for further theoretical and experimental investigations. An experimental proposal exists at JLab for measuring b{sub 1} of the deuteron as a new tensor-structure study in 2010's. Furthermore, the antiquark tensor polarization could be measured by polarized deuteron Drell-Yan processes at hadron facilities such as J-PARC and GSI-FAIR. Third, the recent CDF dijet anomaly is investigated within the standard model by considering possible modifications of the strange-quark distribution. We find that the shape of a dijet-mass spectrum changes depending on the strange-quark distribution. It indicates that the CDF excess could be partially explained as a PDF effect, particularly by the strangeness in the nucleon, within the standard model if the excess at m{sub jj}{approx_equal}140 GeV is not a sharp peak.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Clustering effects for explaining an anomalous JLab result on the {sup 9}Be structure function

An anomalous nuclear modification was reported by JLab measurements on the beryllium-9 structure function F{sub 2}. It is unexpected in the sense that a nuclear modification slope is too large to be expected from its average nuclear density. We investigated whether it is explained by a nuclear clustering configuration in {sup 9}Be with two {alpha} nuclei and surrounding neutron clouds. Such clustering aspects are studied by using antisymmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD) and also by a simple shell model for comparison. We consider that nuclear structure functions F{sub 2}{sup A} consist of a mean conventional part and a remaining one depending on the maximum local density. The first mean part does not show a significant cluster effect on F{sub 2}. However, we propose that the remaining one could explain the anomalous JLab slope, and it is associated with high densities created by the cluster formation in {sup 9}Be. The JLab measurement is possibly the first signature of clustering effects in high-energy nuclear reactions. A responsible physics could be an internal nucleon modification, which is caused by the high densities due to the cluster configuration.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Recent progress on nuclear parton distribution functions

We report current status of global analyses on nuclear parton distribution functions (NPDFs). The optimum NPDFs are determined by analyzing high-energy nuclear reaction data. Due to limited experimental measurements, antiquark modifications have large uncertainties at x > 0.2 and gluon modifications cannot be determined. A nuclear modification difference between u and d quark distributions could be an origin of the long-standing NuTeV sin{sup 2}{theta}{sub w} anomaly. There is also an issue of nuclear modification differences between the structure functions of charged-lepton and neutrino reactions. Next, nuclear clustering effects are discussed in structure functions F{sub 2}{sup A} as a possible explanation for an anomalous result in the {sup 9}Be nucleus at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). Last, tensor-polarized quark and antiquark distribution functions are extracted from HERMES data on the polarized structure function b{sub 1} of the deuteron, and they could be used for testing theoretical models and for proposing future experiments, for example, the one at JLab. Such measurements could open a new field of spin physics in spin-one hadrons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗