Multiplicities of charged pions and kaons from semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering by the proton and the deuteron

Abstract

Multiplicities in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering are presented for each charge state of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ and ${\mathrm{K}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ mesons. The data were collected by the HERMES experiment at the HERA storage ring using 27.6 GeV electron and positron beams incident on a hydrogen or deuterium gas target. The results are presented as a function of the kinematic quantities ${x}_{\mathrm{B}}$, ${Q}^{2}$, $z$, and ${P}_{h\ensuremath{\perp}}$. They represent a unique data set for identified hadrons that will significantly enhance our understanding of the fragmentation of quarks into final-state hadrons in deep-inelastic scattering.