Measurement of two- and three-nucleon short-range correlation probabilities in nuclei -: art. no. 082501

The ratios of inclusive electron scattering cross sections of He-4, C-12, and Fe-56 to He-3 have been measured at 1 < x(B)< 3. At Q(2)> 1.4 GeV2, the ratios exhibit two separate plateaus, at 1.5 < x(B)< 2 and at x(B)> 2.25. This pattern is predicted by models that include 2- and 3-nucleon short-range correlations (SRC). Relative to A=3, the per-nucleon probabilities of 3-nucleon SRC are 2.3, 3.1, and 4.4 times larger for A=4, 12, and 56. This is the first measurement of 3-nucleon SRC probabilities in nuclei.