Measurement of longitudinal and transverse cross sections in the 3He(e,e′π+)3H reaction at W=1.6 GeV

The coherent He-3(e,e' pi(+))H-3 reaction was measured at Q(2) = 0.4 (GeV/c)(2) and W = 1.6 GeV for two values of the virtual photon polarization, epsilon, allowing the separation of longitudinal and transverse cross sections, The results from the coherent process on He-3 were compared to H(e,e' pi(+))n data taken at the same kinematics. This marks the First direct comparison of these processes. At these kinematics (p(pi) = 1.1 GeV/c), pion rescattering from the spectator nucleons in the He-3(e,e' pi(+))H-3 process is expected to be small, simplifying the comparison to pi(+) production from the free proton.