Evidence for anomalous prompt photons in deep inelastic muon scattering at 200 GeV

Abstract The inclusive yield of photons has been measured from deep inelastic interactions of 200 GeV muons on hydrogen. After subtracting the contributions from hadron electromagnetic decays and Bethe-Heitler muon bremsstrahlung, residual photons are observed at low p T and low z at a mean level of 0.15±0.06 per interaction. The quark Compton scattering process is unable to explain the data, thus indicating an anomalous photon production.