Date Thesis Awarded

4-2018

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Science (BS)

Department

Physics

Advisor

Justin Stevens

Committee Members

Irina Novikova

Heather Sasinowska

Abstract

The structure of protons is a point of interest in nuclear physics due to the lack of consensus between the cumulative spin of a proton and the sum of the spins of its constituent quarks. In the GlueX Experiment at the Jefferson Lab Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF), a particle physics process known as Timelike Compton Scattering (TCS), given by the reaction ���� → ����+��-, can be used to help potentially explain this discrepancy. With an eventual goal of providing a comparison of the experimental GlueX TCS data to Generalized Parton Distribution (GPD) models, initial research focused on isolating a pure TCS signal from a larger data set containing primarily the background reaction ���� → ����+��-. After identifying and placing range restrictions upon experimental variables which are sensitive to the differences between ��± and ��± data, next steps included identifying the scattering plane angles of the electrons and positrons; significant variables in the cross section ratio present in GPDs. Our resulting plot of the �� plane vs detected ��+��- events indicated that the application of the restrictions that I selected and implemented to a larger data set will make it possible to more conclusively determine the presence and receptivity of TCS to GPD parameters.

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