Determination of the neutron spin structure function

Abstract

The spin structure function of the neutron ${\mathit{g}}_{1}^{\mathit{n}}$ has been determined over the range 0.03x0.6 at an average ${\mathit{Q}}^{2}$ of 2 (GeV/c${)}^{2}$ by measuring the asymmetry in deep inelastic scattering of polarized electrons from a polarized $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ target at energies between 19 and 26 GeV. The integral of the neutron spin structure function is found to be ${\mathcal{F}}_{0}^{1}$${\mathit{g}}_{1}^{\mathit{n}}$(x)dx=-0.022\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.011. Earlier reported proton results together with the Bjorken sum rule predict ${\mathcal{F}}_{0}^{1}$${\mathit{g}}_{1}^{\mathit{n}}$(x)dx=-0.059\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.019.