We present results on the electroexcitation of the low mass resonances (1232)P 33 , N (1440)P 11 , N (1520)D 13 , and N (1535)S 11 in a wide range of Q 2 . The results were obtained in the comprehensive analysis of data from the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) large acceptance spectrometer (CLAS) detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) on differential cross sections, longitudinally polarized beam asymmetries, and longitudinal target and beam-target asymmetries for π electroproduction off the proton. The data were analyzed using two conceptually different approaches-fixed-t dispersion relations and a unitary isobar model-allowing us to draw conclusions on the model sensitivity of the obtained electrocoupling amplitudes. The amplitudes for the (1232)P 33 show the importance of a meson-cloud contribution to quantitatively explain the magnetic dipole strength, as well as the electric and scalar quadrupole transitions. They do not show any tendency of approaching the pQCD regime for Q 2 6 GeV 2 . For the Roper resonance, N (1440)P 11 , the data provide strong evidence that this state is a predominantly radial excitation of a three-quark (3q) ground state. Measured in pion electroproduction, the transverse helicity amplitude for the N (1535)S 11 allowed us to obtain the branching ratios of this state to the πN and ηN channels via comparison with the results extracted from η electroproduction. The extensive CLAS data also enabled the extraction of the γ * p → N (1520)D 13 and N (1535)S 11 longitudinal helicity amplitudes with good precision. For the N (1535)S 11 , these results became a challenge for quark models and may be indicative of large meson-cloud contributions or of representations of this state that differ from a 3q excitation. The transverse amplitudes for the N (1520)D 13 clearly show the rapid changeover from helicity-3/2 dominance at the real photon point to helicity-1/2 dominance at Q 2 > 1 GeV 2 , confirming a long-standing prediction of the constituent quark model.

The CEBAF large acceptance spectrometer (CLAS) is used to study photo- and electro-induced nuclear and hadronic reactions by providing efficient detection of neutral and charged particles over a good fraction of the full solid angle. A collaboration of about 30 institutions has designed, assembled, and commissioned CLAS in Hall B at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The CLAS detector is based on a novel six-coil toroidal magnet which provides a largely azimuthal field distribution. Trajectory reconstruction using drift chambers results in a momentum resolution of 0.5% at forward angles. Cherenkov counters, time-of-flight scintillators, and electromagnetic calorimeters provide good particle identification. Fast triggering and high data-acquisition rates allow operation at a luminosity of View the MathML source. These capabilities are being used in a broad experimental program to study the structure and interactions of mesons, nucleons, and nuclei using polarized and unpolarized electron and photon beams and targets. This paper is a comprehensive and general description of the design, construction and performance of CLAS

Measurement of two-and three-nucleon shortrange correlation probabilities in nuclei KS The ratios of inclusive electron scattering cross sections of 4 He, 12 C, and 56 Fe to 3 He have been measured at 1 < x B < 3. At Q 2 > 1:4 GeV 2 , the ratios exhibit two separate plateaus, at 1:5 < x B < 2 and at x B > 2:25. This pattern is predicted by models that include 2-and 3-nucleon short-range correlations (SRC). Relative to A 3, the per-nucleon probabilities of 3-nucleon SRC are 2.3, 3.1, and 4.4 times larger for A 4, 12, and 56. This is the first measurement of 3-nucleon SRC probabilities in nuclei.

High-statistics differential cross sections for the reactions γp → pη and γp → pη have been measured using the CEBAF large acceptance spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Lab for center-of-mass energies from near threshold up to 2.84 GeV. The η results are the most precise to date and provide the largest energy and angular coverage. The η measurements extend the energy range of the world's large-angle results by approximately 300 MeV. These new data, in particular the η measurements, are likely to help constrain the analyses being performed to search for new baryon resonance states.