The large momentum transfer reaction C-12(p,2 p plus n) as a new method for measuring short range NN correlations in nuclei

The reaction C-12(p,2p + n) was measured for momentum transfers of 4.8 and 6.2 (GeV/c)(2) at beam momenta of 5.9 and 7.5 GeV/c. We measured the quasi- elastic reaction (p,2p) at theta(cm) similar or equal to 900, in a kinemati cally complete measurement. The neutron momentum was measured in triple coi ncidence with the two emerging high momentum protons. We present the correl ation between the momenta of the struck target proton and the neutron. The events are associated with the high momentum components of the nuclear wave function. We present sparse data which, combined with a quasi elastic desc ription of the (p,2p) reaction and kinematical arguments, point to a novel way for isolating two-nucleon short range correlations. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.