O16(e,e′p) reaction at large missing energy

We investigate the origin of the strength at large missing energies in electron-induced proton knockout reactions. For that purpose the reaction O16(e,e′p) was studied at a central value ω=215 MeV of the energy transfer, and two values of the momentum transfer: q=300,400 MeV/c, corresponding to the “dip region”. Differential cross sections were determined in a large range of missing energy (Em=0-140 MeV) and proton emission angle (γpq=0-110°), and compared to predictions of a model that includes nucleon-nucleon short-range correlations and two-body currents. It is observed that, in the kinematic domain covered by this experiment, the largest contribution to the cross section stems from two-body currents, while short-range correlations contribute a significant fraction.