Studying Short-Range Correlations with the ^12C(e,e'pn) Reaction

by Subedi, Ramesh Raj

We investigated electron-induced two-nucleon emission from carbon with the goal of being sensitive to and studying short-range correlations using the ^12C(e,e'pN) reaction in a triple-coincidence measurement. Two existing high-resolution spectrometers in Hall A at Jefferson Laboratory were used to detect coincident scattered electrons and struck nucleons. A large neutron detector designed and constructed specially for this experiment was used to detect the recoiling neutrons. We performed analysis of the ^12C(e,e'pn) reaction, and made direct observation of short-range correlated n-p pairs. From our analysis we conclude that there are 17.9 ± 4.5 times more n-p short-range correlated pairs than p-p short-range correlated pairs.