Precise Measurement of Deuteron Tensor Analyzing Powers with BLAST

Abstract

We report a precision measurement of the deuteron tensor analyzing powers T[subscript 20] and T[subscript 21] at the MIT-Bates Linear Accelerator Center. Data were collected simultaneously over a momentum transfer range Q=2.15–4.50 fm[superscript -1] with the Bates Large Acceptance Spectrometer Toroid using a highly polarized deuterium internal gas target. The data are in excellent agreement with calculations in a framework of effective field theory. The deuteron charge monopole and quadrupole form factors G[subscript C] and G[subscript Q] were separated with improved precision, and the location of the first node of G[subscript C] was confirmed at Q=4.19±0.05 fm[superscript -1]. The new data provide a strong constraint on theoretical models in a momentum transfer range covering the minimum of T[subscript 20] and the first node of G[subscript C].