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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of the pion charge exchange differential cross section on Argon with the ProtoDUNE-SP detector

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) utilizes Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) technology in its pursuit of uncovering the origins of matter. As a crucial prototype for the DUNE far detector (FD) module, ProtoDUNE-SP at CERN Neutrino Platform Facility employs a hadron test beam with a momentum range of 0.3 to 7 GeV/c to study the detector response to particles that could be produced in the neutrino interactions at the DUNE FD. Furthermore, ProtoDUNE-SP is dedicated to testing event reconstruction and performing detector calibration under controlled conditions. Neutral pion reconstruction performance is an important benchmark of the calorimetric and tracking capability of LArTPC, and understanding neutral pion in LArTPC is crucial to characterize backgrounds to oscillation measurements and rare searches. To improve neutral pion reconstruction in LArTPC, a kinematic fitting algorithm is developed, achieving a 12% resolution in neutral pion energy in ProtoDUNE-SP. This enhancement enables the first measurements of the pion-argon charge exchange differential cross-section. By comparing these results with the current model, valuable constraints can be made to improve generator simulations in the future DUNE experiment.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

High Statistics Measurements of $ν_μ$ Charged-Current Single $π^{+}$ Production with Zero Pion Kinetic Energy Threshold in MINERvA

This Letter presents measurements of single-differential cross sections of $ν_μ$-induced charged-current 1 $π^{+}$ production on scintillator using the MINERvA detector at Fermilab. These measurements use traditional track-based pion reconstruction as well as pions identified solely via Michel electron decays, allowing measurement of kinetic energies from 0 to 350 MeV. In total, 91,843 events were selected with $W_{exp}$$<$ 1.4 GeV/c. Differential cross sections as a function of pion and muon kinematic variables are presented and compared with the predictions of several neutrino event generators. Overall, modern pion production models tend to agree with data at the ends of the kinematic regions probed, but are discrepant with the main regions of the phase space probed by up to 15% in muon observables and up to 20% in pion observables. No model describes any of the variables well, and this result highlights model areas that require improvement for the next generation of neutrino oscillation experiments.

Granados, E. [Guanajuato U.]↗
DOE OSTI2017

Spectrum of Virtual Photons in the Electroproduction of Negatively Charged Pions on Deuterons

Numerical and analytical calculations of the virtual photon spectrum have been performed for the electroproduction of negatively charged pions on a deuteron. The numerical calculations of the virtual photon spectrum were performed without recourse to any approximations while a number of approximations were admitted in the derivation of the analytical expression. A comparison of the results of an exact numerical calculation of the virtual photon spectrum with the results of a calculation obtained using an approximate analytical expression for the virtual photon spectrum has been performed for the first time. It is shown that the discrepancy between the virtual photon spectra obtained with the help of numerical and analytical methods can reach 10% in the kinematic region of photoproduction of pions with intermediate energies. It follows from the obtained results that in the statistical modeling of the yields of the reaction of photoproduction of negatively charged pions on a deuteron it is necessary to use the exact virtual photon spectrum obtained with the help of numerical methods whereas in the statistical modeling of the asymmetry of reactions of photoproduction of negatively charged pions on a deuteron it is sufficient to use the approximate analytical expression for the virtual photon spectrum.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Using a New Smearing Technique to Find Moments of the Quark Distribution Amplitude of the Pion

We study the distribution of momentum between valence quarks of the ground state and the first excited state of the pion using Lattice QCD on the anisotropic lattice. Our final goal is to extract the second moment of distribution amplitudes of the ground state and first excited state of the pion for exclusive processes at high momentum transfer. At this stage of the project, we can compute the ground state pion decay constant in a lattice renormalization scheme up to an overall normalization constant.We employ a variational technique that will allow us to determine the decay constant and second moment of the distribution amplitude of the first excited state of the pion also. We use a new smearing technique in order to minimize pollution of the data from higher-lying excited states. The anisotropy of the lattice is a novel feature of our approach, and strongly increases sensitivity to excited states through a better temporal resolution.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

Measurement of cross sections of p(e,e'pi^+)n for near pion threshold and high-lying resonances at high Q^2

During the last decade, remarkable experimental data have been collected in an extensive programs to study the excitation of nucleon resonance (N*) at Jefferson Laboratory through pion electroproduction using polarized electron beam and unpolarized proton target. The CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) is well suited for the study of a broad range of kinematics in the invariant mass W and photon virtuality Q{sup 2} with nearly complete angular coverage for the hadronic decays. Electron scattering allows us to probe the effective degrees of freedom in excited nucleon states from meson-baryon to dressed quarks in terms of varying the distance scale. The study of nucleon structure allows us to understand these effective degrees of freedom. In this proceeding, I present preliminary cross sections for single pion production in mass range of high-lying resonances as well as near the pion threshold. Analysis of N{pi}{sup +} cross sections together with N{pi}{sup 0} and N {pi}{pi} exclusive electroproduction data, will allow us for the first time to determine electrocouplings of several high-lying excited proton states (W {ge} 1.6 GeV) at photon virtualities that correspond to the transition toward the dominance of quark degrees of freedom. I also present preliminary result on the E{sub 0+} multipole near pion threshold at 2.0 GeV{sup 2} {le} Q{sup 2} {le} 4.5 GeV{sup 2} using exclusive N{pi}{sup +} electroproduction data.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Towards a model of pion generalized parton distributions from Dyson-Schwinger equations

We compute the pion quark Generalized Parton Distribution H{sup q} and Double Distributions F{sup q} and G{sup q} in a coupled Bethe-Salpeter and Dyson-Schwinger approach. We use simple algebraic expressions inspired by the numerical resolution of Dyson-Schwinger and Bethe-Salpeter equations. We explicitly check the support and polynomiality properties, and the behavior under charge conjugation or time invariance of our model. We derive analytic expressions for the pion Double Distributions and Generalized Parton Distribution at vanishing pion momentum transfer at a low scale. Our model compares very well to experimental pion form factor or parton distribution function data.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Neutral pion reconstruction using machine learning in the experiment at 〈E ν〉 6 GeV

This paper presents a novel neutral-pion reconstruction that takes advantage of the machine learning technique of semantic segmentation using MINERvA data collected between 2013–2017, with an average neutrino energy of 6 GeV. Semantic segmentation improves the purity of neutral pion reconstruction from two γs from 70.7 ± 0.9% to 89.3 ± 0.7% and improves the efficiency of the reconstruction by approximately 40%. We demonstrate our method in a charged current neutral pion production analysis where a single neutral pion is reconstructed. This technique is applicable to modern tracking calorimeters, such as the new generation of liquid-argon time projection chambers, exposed to neutrino beams with 〈E ν〉 between 1–10 GeV. In such experiments it can facilitate the identification of ionization hits which are associated with electromagnetic showers, thereby enabling improved reconstruction of charged-current νe events arising from νμ → νe appearance.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Systematic study of charged-pion and kaon femtoscopy in Au+Au collisions at √s NN = 200 GeV

We present a systematic study of charged pion and kaon interferometry in Au+Au collisions at √s NN =200 GeV. The kaon mean source radii are found to be larger than pion radii in the outward and longitudinal directions for the same transverse mass; this difference increases for more central collisions. The azimuthal-angle dependence of the radii was measured with respect to the second-order event plane and similar oscillations of the source radii were found for pions and kaons. Hydrodynamic models qualitatively describe the similar oscillations of the mean source radii for pions and kaons, but they do not fully describe the transverse-mass dependence of the oscillations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Charged-pion cross sections and double-helicity asymmetries in polarized p + p collisions at s = 200 GeV

In this paper, we present midrapidity charged-pion invariant cross sections, the ratio of the π - to π + cross sections and the charge-separated double-spin asymmetries in polarized p+p collisions at s = 200 GeV . While the cross section measurements are consistent within the errors of next-to-leading-order (NLO) perturbative quantum chromodynamics predictions (pQCD), the same calculations overestimate the ratio of the charged-pion cross sections. This discrepancy arises from the cancellation of the substantial systematic errors associated with the NLO-pQCD predictions in the ratio and highlights the constraints these data will place on flavor-dependent pion fragmentation functions. Lastly, the charge-separated pion asymmetries presented here sample an x range of ~0.03–0.16 and provide unique information on the sign of the gluon-helicity distribution.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2012

Mechanism of pion production in {alpha}p scattering at 1 GeV/nucleon

An analysis of the experimental data on one-pion and two-pion production in the p({alpha}, {alpha} Prime )X reaction studied in a semi-exclusive experiment at an energy of E{sub {alpha}} = 4.2 GeV has been performed. The obtained results demonstrate that the inelastic {alpha}-particle scattering on the proton at the energy of the experiment proceeds either through excitation and decay of the {Delta} resonance in the projectile {alpha} particle, or through excitation in the target proton of the Roper resonance, which decays into a nucleon and a pion, or a nucleon and a {sigma} meson-a system of two pions in the isospin I = 0, S-wave state.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Determining the Pion Reference Momentum for nuSTORM Injection Design

The stochastic injection scenario used by nuSTORM features the pion decay and secondary muon acceptance in the storage ring’s long decay straight [1,2]. The designed momentum acceptance of the nuSTORM decay ring is centered at 3.8 GeV/c, based on neutrino detector performance, with a $\pm\,$10% bin. In order to design the injection section, and to obtain as many useful muons from pion decay as possible, the center momentum of the pion beam being injected needs to be carefully chosen. This paper describes in detail the determination of the center momentum of the pion beam, with simulation from G4Beamline [3].

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Nuclear relativistic Hartree-Fock calculations including pions interacting with a scalar field

The effect of pions on the nuclear shell structure is analyzed in a relativistic Hartree-Fock approximation (RHFA). The Lagrangian includes, in particular, a mixture of {pi}N pseudoscalar (PS) and pseudovector (PV) couplings, self-interactions of the scalar field {sigma} and a {sigma} - {pi} interaction that dresses pions with an effective mass (m*{sub {pi}}). It is found that an increase of m*{sub {pi}} strongly reduces the unrealistic effect of pions, keeping roughly unchanged their contribution to the total binding energy.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Dispersion relation for hadronic light-by-light scattering: pion pole

Here, the pion-pole contribution to hadronic light-by-light scattering in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon (g – 2) μ is fully determined by the doubly-virtual pion transition form factor. Although this crucial input quantity is, in principle, directly accessible in experiment, a complete measurement covering all kinematic regions relevant for (g –2) μ is not realistic in the foreseeable future. Here, we report in detail on a reconstruction from available data, both space- and time-like, using a dispersive representation that accounts for all the low-lying singularities, reproduces the correct high- and low-energy limits, and proves convenient for the evaluation of the (g – 2) μ loop integral. We concentrate on the systematics of the fit to e + e – → 3π data, which are key in constraining the isoscalar dependence, as well as the matching to the asymptotic limits. In particular, we provide a detailed account of the pion transition form factor at low energies in the time- and space-like region, including the error estimates underlying our final result for the pion-pole contribution, a π0–pole μ = 62.6 +3.0 –2.5 × 10 –11 , and demonstrate how forthcoming singly-virtual measurements will further reduce its uncertainty.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Elliptic flow of charged pions, protons and strange particles emitted in Pb+Au collisions at top SPS energy

Differential elliptic flow spectra v 2 (p T ) of π - , K$0\atop{2}$, p, Λ have been measured at √s NN around midrapidity by the CERN-CERES/NA45 experiment in mid-central Pb + Au collisions (10% of σ geo ). The pT range extends from about 0.1 GeV/c (0.55 GeV/c for Λ) to more than 2 GeV/c. Protons below 0.4 GeV/c are directly identified by dE/dx. At higher pT, proton elliptic flow is derived as a constituent, besides π + and K + , of the elliptic flow of positive pion candidates. This retrieval requires additional inputs: (i) of the particle composition, and (ii) of v 2 (p T ) of positive pions. For (i), particle ratios obtained by NA49 are adapted to CERES conditions; for (ii), the measured v 2 (p T ) of negative pions is substituted, assuming π + and π - elliptic flow magnitudes to be sufficiently close. The v 2 (p T ) spectra are compared to ideal-hydrodynamics calculations. In synopsis of the series π - , K$0\atop{2}$-p-Λ, flow magnitudes are seen to fall with decreasing pT progressively even below hydro calculations with early kinetic freeze-out (T f =160 MeV) leaving not much time for hadronic evolution. The proton v 2 (p T ) data show a downward swing towards low p T with excursions into negative v 2 values. The pion-flow isospin asymmetry observed recently by STAR at RHIC, invalidating in principle our working assumption, is found in its impact on proton flow bracketed from above by the direct proton flow data, and not to alter any of our conclusions. Results are discussed in perspective of recent viscous hydrodynamics studies which focus on late hadronic stages.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

Amplitude analysis of resonant production in three pions

We present some results on the analysis of three pion resonances. The analyses are motivated by the recent release of the largest data set on diffractively produced three pions by the COMPASS collaboration. We construct reaction amplitudes that satisfy fundamental $S$-matrix principles, which allows the use of models that have physical constraints to be used in fitting data. The models are motivated by the isobar model that satisfy unitarity constraints. The model consist of a Deck production amplitude with which final state interactions are constrained by unitarity. We employ the isobar model where two of the pions form a quasi-stable particle. The analysis is performed in the high-energy, single Regge limit. We specifically discuss the examples of the three pion $J^{PC}=2^{-+}$ resonance in the $\rho\pi$ and $f_2\pi$ channels.

Jackura, Andrew↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of the response to electrons and pions in the scintillating fiber and lead calorimeter for the future electron-ion collider

The performance of the Baby Barrel Electromagnetic Calorimeter (Baby BCAL) — a small-scale lead-scintillating-fiber (Pb/ScFi) prototype of the GlueX Barrel Electromagnetic Calorimeter (BCAL) — was tested in a dedicated beam campaign at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility (FTBF). This study provides a benchmark for the Pb/ScFi component of the future Barrel Imaging Calorimeter (BIC) in the ePIC detector at the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). The detector response to electrons and pions was studied at beam energies between 4 and 10 GeV, extending previous GlueX tests to a higher energy regime. The calibrated detector exhibits good linearity within uncertainties, and its electron energy resolution meets EIC requirements. The data further constrain the constant term in the energy resolution to below 1.9%, improving upon previous constraints at lower energies. Simulations reproduce key features of the electron and pion data within the limitations of the collected dataset and the FTBF test environment. Electron-pion separation in the test beam setup was analyzed using multiple methods, incorporating varying degrees of beam-related effects. The inclusion of longitudinal shower profile information enhanced the separation performance, underscoring its relevance for the full-scale BIC in ePIC. These results provide essential benchmarks for the Pb/ScFi section of the future BIC, validating detector simulations and guiding optimization strategies for electron-pion discrimination.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Transverse-momentum-dependent pion structures from lattice QCD: Collins-Soper kernel, soft factor, TMDWF, and TMDPDF

We present the first lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculation of the pion valence-quark transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution function (TMDPDF) within the framework of large-momentum effective theory (LaMET). Using correlators fixed in the Coulomb gauge (CG), we computed the quasi-TMD beam function for a pion with a mass of 300 MeV, a fine lattice spacing of 𝑎 =0.06 fm, and multiple large momenta up to 3 GeV. The intrinsic soft functions in the CG approach are extracted from form factors with large momentum transfer, and as a byproduct, we also obtain the corresponding Collins-Soper (CS) kernel. Our determinations of both the soft function and the CS kernel agree with perturbation theory at small transverse separations (𝑏 ⊥ ) between the quarks. At larger 𝑏 ⊥ , the CS kernel remains consistent with recent results obtained using both CG and gauge-invariant TMD correlators in the literature. By combining next-to-leading logarithmic factorization of the quasi-TMD beam function and the soft function, we obtain an 𝑥-dependent pion valence-quark TMDPDF for transverse separations 𝑏 ⊥ ≳1 fm. Interestingly, we find that the 𝑏 ⊥ dependence of the phenomenological parametrizations of TMDPDF for moderate values of 𝑥 are in reasonable agreement with our QCD determinations. In addition, we present results for the transverse-momentum-dependent wave function for a heavier pion with 670 MeV mass.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗