Date of Completion

5-4-2018

Embargo Period

5-3-2018

Major Advisor

Dr. Richard Jones

Associate Advisor

Dr. Jeffrey Schweitzer

Associate Advisor

Dr. Peter Schweitzer

Field of Study

Physics

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Open Access

Open Access

Abstract

The differential cross section and spin density matrix elements for ω(782) meson photoproduction in the reaction 9Be(γp, pω)8Li have been measured in the energy range 4.4 - 5.4 GeV using the Radphi detector. Radphi used a 9Be target, and identified the final state by triggering on the recoil proton plus neutrals. At the kinematics of this experiment, the observed nuclear cross section is consistent with the γp cross section measured by prior experiments when multiplied by 4 for the number of protons in the nucleus, in agreement with a naive spectator model. However, the spin observables show some deviation from a spectator model, particularly approaching the low-t limit of the experimental acceptance. Besides the cross sections, spin density matrix elements in Gottfried Jackson and Helicity frame have been measured. The data selection is discussed and the acceptance is examined and quantified. The results are compared to a model for vector photoproduction.

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