First Observation of Dielectron Production in Proton-Nucleus Collisions below 10 GeV

1988105 citationsJournal Article

Authors

G. Roche · University of California, Berkeley

G. Claesson · Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

D.L. Hendrie · University of California, Berkeley

G.F. Krebs · Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

É. Lallier · Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

A. Letessier‐Selvon · University of California, Berkeley

H. S. Matis

Abstract

We have begun a program to measure dielectron production in $p$-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LBL Bevalac. Results are presented for the reaction $p+\mathrm{Be}$ at 4.9 GeV. For the first time, direct dilepton production is observed below 10 GeV incident energy. The cross sections are discussed and compared to previous data at higher energies. The observation of a structure at a mass of about 275 MeV suggests that pion annihilation may be the dominant production mechanism in this mass range.

Topics & Keywords

High-Energy Particle Collisions Research Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Affordable and clean energy

Publication Details

Published in: Physical Review Letters

Volume 61, Issue 9, pp. 1069-1072

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.61.1069

Field-Weighted Citation Impact: 18.92