Measurement of Proton Electromagnetic Form Factors in e^{+}e^{-}→pp[over ¯] in the Energy Region 2.00-3.08 GeV

Determination of the Σ^{+} Timelike Electromagnetic Form Factors

Based on data samples collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the process e^{+}e^{-}→Σ^{+}Σ[over ¯]^{-} is studied at center-of-mass energies sqrt[s]=2.3960, 2.6454, and 2.9000 GeV. Using a fully differential angular description of the final state particles, both the relative magnitude and phase information of the Σ^{+} electromagnetic form factors in the timelike region are extracted. The relative phase between the electric and magnetic form factors is determined to be sinΔΦ=-0.67±0.29(stat)±0.18(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.3960  GeV, ΔΦ=55°±19°(stat)±14°(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.6454  GeV, and 78°±22°(stat)±9°(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.9000  GeV. For the first time, the phase of the hyperon electromagnetic form factors is explored in a wide range of four-momentum transfer. The evolution of the phase along with four-momentum transfer is an important input for understanding its asymptotic behavior and the dynamics of baryons.

Measurement of Energy-Dependent Pair-Production Cross Section and Electromagnetic Form Factors of a Charmed Baryon

We study the process e^{+}e^{-}→Λ_{c}^{+}Λ[over ¯]_{c}^{-} at twelve center-of-mass energies from 4.6119 to 4.9509 GeV using data samples collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The Born cross sections and effective form factors (|G_{eff}|) are determined with unprecedented precision after combining the single and double-tag methods based on the decay process Λ_{c}^{+}→pK^{-}π^{+}. Flat cross sections around 4.63 GeV are obtained and no indication of the resonant structure Y(4630), as reported by Belle, is found. In addition, no oscillatory behavior is discerned in the |G_{eff}| energy dependence of Λ_{c}^{+}, in contrast to what is seen for the proton and neutron cases. Analyzing the cross section together with the polar-angle distribution of the Λ_{c}^{+} baryon at each energy point, the moduli of electric and magnetic form factors (|G_{E}| and |G_{M}|) are extracted and separated. For the first time, the energy dependence of the form factor ratio |G_{E}/G_{M}| is observed, which can be well described by an oscillatory function.

Measurements of the Electric and Magnetic Form Factors of the Neutron for Timelike Momentum Transfer

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the timelike (positive q^{2}) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→n[over ¯]n with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6  pb^{-1} in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between sqrt[s]=2.0-2.95  GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at sqrt[s]=2.3935  GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable spacelike region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio R_{em}≡|G_{E}|/|G_{M}| is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on |G_{E}| and |G_{M}| to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the spacelike region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.

Theoretical and Experimental Essentials on Baryon Form Factors

This brief review is a practical guide on the basic concepts, pivotal formulae, standard relations, and some unusual, often forgotten, but sometimes revealing features of baryons’ form factors. All available measured values of nucleon form factors in the space-like and time-like regions extracted from scattering and annihilation cross-sections are also reported.

New Insights into the Nucleon's Electromagnetic Structure

We present a combined analysis of the electromagnetic form factors of the nucleon in the space- and timelike regions using dispersion theory. Our framework provides a consistent description of the experimental data over the full range of momentum transfer, in line with the strictures from analyticity and unitarity. The statistical uncertainties of the extracted form factors are estimated using the bootstrap method, while systematic errors are determined from variations of the spectral functions. We also perform a high-precision extraction of the nucleon radii and find good agreement with previous analyses of spacelike data alone. For the proton charge radius, we find r_{E}^{p}=0.840_{-0.002}^{+0.003} _{-0.002}^{+0.002}  fm, where the first error is statistical and the second one is systematic. The Zemach radius and third moment are in agreement with Lamb shift measurements and hyperfine splittings. The combined dataset of space- and timelike data disfavors a zero crossing of μ_{p}G_{E}^{p}/G_{M}^{p} in the spacelike region. Finally, we discuss the status and perspectives of modulus and phase of the form factors in the timelike region in the context of future experiments, as well as the onset of perturbative QCD.

Electromagnetic Structure of the Neutron from Annihilation Reactions

The investigation of the fundamental properties of the nucleon is one of the most important topics in the modern hadron physics. Its internal structure and dynamics can be studied through the measurement of electromagnetic form factors which represent the simplest structure observables and serve as a test ground for our understanding of the strong interaction. Since the first attempt to measure the time-like form factors of the neutron, only four experiments published results on its structure from annihilation reactions. Due to the lack of statistics and experimental challenges, no individual determination of the form factors of the neutron has been possible so far. Modern developments of electron-positron colliders and the associated detectors allow to measure the effective FF of the neutron with the process e+e−→nn¯ with unprecedented precision at the BESIII experiment, which is based at the BEPCII collider in Beijing, China. In this report, we review the published results of the form factors on the neutron in the time-like regime, describe the experimental setup, and discuss their impact on our understanding of the strong interaction. Future works at BESIII will help to improve the precision of the neutron FFs and, combined with theoretical progress in this field, help to illuminate the properties of the neutron structure.

Proton Electromagnetic Form Factors in the Time-like Region through the Scan Technique

For over 100 y, scientists have investigated the properties of the proton, which is one of the most abundant components of visible matter in the universe. Nevertheless, researchers do not fully understand many details about its internal structure and dynamics. Time-like electromagnetic form factors are some of the observable quantities that can help us achieve a deeper understanding. In this review article, we present an overview of the current experimental status in this field, consisting of measurements of the time-like reactions e+e−→pp¯ and pp¯→e+e− and future measurements of pp¯→μ+μ−. The focus is put on recent high-precision results of the reaction e+e−→pp¯ that have been obtained after analyzing 688.5 pb−1 of data taken at the BESIII experiment. They are compared to and put into perspective with results from previous measurements in this channel. We discuss the channels pp¯→e+e− and pp¯→μ+μ− in terms of the few existing, as well as future measurements, which the PANDA experiment will perform. Finally, we review several new theoretical models and phenomenological approaches inspired by the BESIII high-precision results and then discuss their implications for a deeper understanding of the proton’s structure and inner dynamics.

Time-like Proton Form Factors with Initial State Radiation Technique

Electromagnetic form factors are fundamental quantities describing the internal structure of hadrons. They can be measured with scattering processes in the space-like region and annihilation processes in the time-like region. The two regions are connected by crossing symmetry. The measurements of the proton electromagnetic form factors in the time-like region using the initial state radiation technique are reviewed. Recent experimental studies have shown that initial state radiation processes at high luminosity electron-positron colliders can be effectively used to probe the electromagnetic structure of hadrons. The BABAR experiment at the B-factory PEP-II in Stanford and the BESIII experiment at BEPCII (an electron positron collider in the τ-charm mass region) in Beijing have measured the time-like form factors of the proton using the initial state radiation process e+e−→pp¯γ. The two kinematical regions where the photon is emitted from the initial state at small and large polar angles have been investigated. In the first case, the photon is in the region not covered by the detector acceptance and is not detected. The Born cross section and the proton effective form factor have been measured over a wide and continuous range of the the momentum transfer squared q2 from the threshold up to 42 (GeV/c)2. The ratio of electric and magnetic form factors of the proton has been also determined. In this report, the theoretical aspect and the experimental studies of the initial state radiation process e+e−→pp¯γ are described. The measurements of the Born cross section and the proton form factors obtained in these analyses near the threshold region and in the relatively large q2 region are examined. The experimental results are compared to the predictions from theory and models. Their impact on our understanding of the nucleon structure is discussed.

Electromagnetic Form Factors of Σ Hyperons

Electromagnetic form factors (EMFFs) are fundamental observable of baryons that intimately related to their internal structure and dynamics, where the EMFFs of hyperons provide valuable insight into the behavior of the strangeness. The EMFFs of hyperons can also help to understand those of nucleons as they are connected with the flavor SU(3) symmetry. The EMFFs of nucleons can be measured in both spacelike and timelike regions. However, it is difficult to probe the EMFFs of hyperons in spacelike region due to the unstable nature of hyperons. By means of electron-positron annihilation, the EMFFs of hyperons in timelike region is accessible via the production of hyperon-antihyperon pair. The timelike EMFFs of the isospin triplet Σ hyperons measured at Babar, CLEO-c and BESIII experiments are reviewed in this paper. Besides, the relevant theoretical discussion based on the experimental results are also presented.

Electromagnetic Form Factor of Doubly-Strange Hyperon

The standard model of particle physics is a well-tested theoretical framework, but there are still some issues that deserve experimental and theoretical investigation. The Ξ resonances with strangeness S=−2, the so-called doubly-strange hyperon, can provide important information to further test the standard model by studying their electromagnetic form factors, such as probing the limitation of the quark models and spotting unrevealed aspects of the QCD description of the structure of hadron resonances. In this work, we review some recent studies of the electromagnetic form factors on doubly-strange hyperons in pair production from positron–electron annihilation experiment.

A Fit to the Available e+e− → Λc+Λ¯c− Cross Section Data Nearby Production Threshold by Means of a Strong Correction to the Coulomb Enhancement Factor

There are two available sets of data on the e+e−→Λc+Λ¯c− cross section at energies close to the production threshold, collected by the Belle and by the BESIII Collaborations. The measurement of the former, performed by means of the initial state radiation technique, is compatible with the presence of a resonance, called ψ(4660), observed also in other final states. On the contrary, the latter is measured an almost flat and hence non-resonant cross section in the energy region just above the production threshold, but the data stop before the possible rise in the cross section for the resonant production. We propose an effective model to describe the behavior of the data near this threshold, which is based on a Coulomb-like enhancement factor due to the strong interaction among the final state particles. In the framework of this model, it is possible to describe both datasets.

Probing the internal structure of baryons

Electromagnetic form factors are fundamental observables that describe the electric and magnetic structure of hadrons and provide keys to understand the strong interaction. At the Beijing Spectrometer (BESIII), form factors have been measured for different baryons in the time-like region for the first time or with the best precision. The results are presented with examples focused on but not limited to the proton/neutron, the Λ, with a strange quark, and the Λ c , with a charm quark.

Dynamical Properties of Baryons

The internal structure of composite particles is conveniently described in terms of form factors (FFs)—these are experimentally accessible in annihilation and scattering of elementary reactions, and are theoretically calculable by all models that describe the properties of particles. FFs depend only on one kinematical variable, q2. This is the four-momentum transferred by the virtual photon that carries the interaction. Important developments in accelerator and detector techniques have brought impressive advances, both by extending the kinematical region and by reaching a higher precision. A critical review on the underlying methods and findings in polarized and unpolarized experiments is presented. The unique role played by polarization in determining the ratio of electric to magnetic form factors in the space-like region, and the extraction of individual form factors in the whole kinematical region, are described. Recent results at electron accelerators and electron–positron colliders confirm the existence of periodical structure in the annihilation cross section. We suggest a global framework which describes the dynamical structure of charge distribution in baryons, in order to build a coherent view of the creation and annihilation of baryonic matter.