Measurement of inclusive hadron electroproduction from hydrogen and deuterium

Abstract

We report on the inclusive electroproduction of hadrons from nucleon targets. The incident electron beam energy is 19.5 GeV. We detect scattered electrons corresponding to exchanged virtual photons in the range $\ensuremath{-}0.25>{q}^{2}>\ensuremath{-}3.00$ ${(\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c})}^{2}$ and $12<s<30$ ${\mathrm{GeV}}^{2}$. In coincidence we detect most hadrons which go in the forward (virtual photon) direction in the virtual-photon-nucleon c.m. system. The cross section for producing these hadrons is studied as a function of azimuthal angle, transverse momentum squared,and a longitudinal-momentum-related variable. Data are presented for proton, deuteron, and neutron targets, and are largely consistent with the data in real photoproduction ${q}^{2}=0$. Notable differences are that in electroproduction the transverse momentum distributions are somewhat broader, and the forward hadrons are less charge- and less charge- and less charge- and isospin-symmetric. The data are generally consistent with expectations of parton models.