Spectrum and Structure of Excited Baryons with CLAS*

Abstract

In this contribution I discuss recent results in light quark baryon spectroscopy involving CLAS data and higher level analysis results from the partial wave analysis by the Bonn-Gatchina group. New baryon states were discovered largely based on the open strangeness production channels γp → K+Λ and γp → K+Σ0. The data illustrate the great potential of the kaon-hyperon channel in the discovery of higher mass baryon resonances in s-channel production. Other channels with discovery potential, such as γp → pω and γp → ϕp are also discussed. In the second part I will demonstrate on data the sensitivity of meson electroproduction to expose the active degrees of freedom underlying resonance transitions as a function of the probed distance scale. For several of the prominent excited states in the lower mass range the short distance behavior is described by a core of three dressed-quarks with running quark mass, and meson-baryon contributions make up significant parts of the excitation strength at large distances. Finally, I give an outlook of baryon resonance physics at the 12 GeV CEBAF electron accelerator.