Arts & Sciences Events
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Arts & Sciences
[PAST EVENT] Physics Colloquium - Charles Perdrisat
April 1, 2016
4pm - 5pm
Abstract:
A series of experiments initiated at the then new CEBAF electron accelerator in Newport News, Virginia, resulted in unexpected results, changing significantly our understanding of the structure of the proton. These experiments used a relatively new technique to obtain the two form factors of the proton, polarization. An intense beam of highly polarized electrons with energy up to 6 GeV was made to interact with protons in a hydrogen target, and the resulting polarization of the recoiling protons was obtain from a second interaction in a polarimeter.
After a short introduction describing the path which brought me from the University of Geneva to William & Mary in 1966, I will introduce the subject of elastic electron scattering, describe some of the apparatus required for such experiments, show results and then give a brief outline of several theoretical considerations to put the results in a proper perspective.
A series of experiments initiated at the then new CEBAF electron accelerator in Newport News, Virginia, resulted in unexpected results, changing significantly our understanding of the structure of the proton. These experiments used a relatively new technique to obtain the two form factors of the proton, polarization. An intense beam of highly polarized electrons with energy up to 6 GeV was made to interact with protons in a hydrogen target, and the resulting polarization of the recoiling protons was obtain from a second interaction in a polarimeter.
After a short introduction describing the path which brought me from the University of Geneva to William & Mary in 1966, I will introduce the subject of elastic electron scattering, describe some of the apparatus required for such experiments, show results and then give a brief outline of several theoretical considerations to put the results in a proper perspective.