University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A measurement of the contribution of the gluon to the spin of the nucleon

Bailey, Paul Spencer

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Description

Title
A measurement of the contribution of the gluon to the spin of the nucleon
Author(s)
Bailey, Paul Spencer
Issue Date
2006
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Makins, Naomi C.R.
Department of Study
Physics
Discipline
Physics
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • gluons
  • HERMES
  • photon-gluon fusion (PGF)
  • Bose-Einstein condensates
  • Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS)
Language
en
Abstract
This dissertation presents the results of an investigation into the contribution to the spin of the nucleon from the gluons mediating the strong force within the nucleon. The experimental data was obtained using the HERMES instrument at the Deustches Elektronen-Synchroton (DESY) in Hamburg, Germany during the year 2000. The effort was motivated by an earlier observation at HERMES that not all of the spin could be attributed to the quarks making up the nucleon The approach utilized in the work reported herein was to employ the polarized gas target at HERMES to provide a polarized target of nucleons and then to probe the attendant polarization of the gluons with the polarized positron beam of the experiment. This was accomplished by seeking evidence of photon-gluon fusion (PGF) deep inelastic scattering events in the form of elementary particles resulting from the decay of charmed particles, which were known to be unique indicators of PGF. Best results indicate ΔG/G = 0.131± 0.164 (stat.) ± 0.131(syst.) at xg = 0.35 and Q2 = 0.18, a result consistent with zero or a slightly positive value.
Type of Resource
text
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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/31908
Copyright and License Information
© 2006 Paul Spencer Bailey

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