Probing the isospin structure of short-range correlations using ρ⁰meson photoproduction

Short Range Correlations (SRCs) are a feature of the internal structure of all types of nuclei. Characterized by high relative momentum and low center of mass momentum, SRC pairs have been well studied with quasi-elastic electron scattering experiments. The reliance on electron scattering however, makes it difficult to assess the influence of reaction effects and final state interactions on what has been learned so far about SRCs. For that reason, the Hall D Short Range Correlations Experiment was conducted at Jefferson Lab in Fall, 2021 using a real photon beam incident on nuclear targets to explore SRCs through various photoproduction channels, providing insight into different kinematic regions and different final states. Our preliminary analysis shows that the predictions of Generalized Contact Formalism (GCF) work well for photoproduction. In my analysis, I have considered ρ⁰ meson photoproduction from protons participating in SRCs as a tool for testing the correlations’ isospin structure, in order to verify the predominance of np-pairing observed in electron scattering. Preliminary results of testing np-pair dominance along with comparisons to GCF will be presented in this talk.