Transverse extension of partons in the proton probed in the sea-quark range by measuring the DVCS cross section

We report on the first measurement of exclusive single-photon muoproduction on the proton by COMPASS using 160 GeV/c polarised mu(+) and mu(-) beams of the CERN SPS impinging on a liquid hydrogen target. We determine the dependence of the average of the measured mu(+) and mu(-) cross sections for deeply virtual Compton scattering on the squared four-momentum transfer t from the initial to the final proton. The slope B of the t-dependence is fitted with a single exponential function, which yields B = (4.3 +/- 0.6(stat) (+0.1)(-0.3)vertical bar(sys)) (GeV/c)(-2). This result can be converted into a transverse extension of partons in the proton,root(r(perpendicular to)(2)) = (0.58 +/- 0.04(stat) (+0.01)(-0.02)vertical bar(sys) +/- 0.04(model)) fm. For this measurement, the average virtuality of the photon mediating the interaction is < Q(2)> = 1.8 (GeV/c)(2) and the average value of the Bjorken variable is < X-Bj > = 0.056. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.