New data strengthen the connection between short range correlations and the EMC effect

Recently published measurements of the two-nucleon short range correlation (NN-SRC) scaling factors, a₂(A/d), strengthen the previously observed correlation between the magnitude of the EMC effect measured in electron deep inelastic scattering at 0.35≤x_B≤0.7 and the SRC scaling factor measured at x_B≥1. The new results improve precision and include previously unmeasured nuclei. The measurements of a₂(A/d) for 9Be and 197Au agree with published predictions based on the EMC-SRC correlation. This Brief Report examines the effects of the new data and of different corrections to the data on the slope and quality of the EMC-SRC correlation, the size of the extracted deuteron in-medium correction effect, and the free-neutron structure function. The results show that the linear EMC-SRC correlation is robust and that the slope of the correlation is insensitive to most combinations of corrections examined in this work. This strengthens the interpretation that both NN-SRC and the EMC effect are related to high-momentum nucleons in the nucleus.