Background: Measurements of exclusive meson production are a useful tool in the study of hadronic structure. In particular, one can discern the relevant degrees of freedom at different distance scales through these studies. Purpose: To study the transition between nonperturbative and perturbative quantum chromodynamics as the square of four-momentum transfer to the struck proton, -t, is increased. Method: Cross sections for the H1(e,e′π+)n reaction were measured over the -t range of 0.272 to 2.127 GeV2 with limited azimuthal coverage at fixed beam energy of 4.709 GeV, Q2 of 2.4 GeV2, and W of 2.0 GeV at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) Hall C. Results: The -t dependence of the measured π+ electroproduction cross section generally agrees with prior data from JLab Halls B and C. The data are consistent with a Regge amplitude-based theoretical model but show poor agreement with a generalized parton distribution-based model. Conclusion: The agreement of cross sections with prior data implies small contribution from the interference terms, and the confirmation of the change in t slopes between the low- and high - t regions previously observed in photoproduction indicates the changing nature of the electroproduction reaction in our kinematic regime.

The nuclear dependence of the inclusive inelastic electron scattering cross section (the EMC effect) has been measured for the first time in B10 and B11. Previous measurements of the EMC effect in A≤12 nuclei showed an unexpected nuclear dependence; B10 and B11 were measured to explore the EMC effect in this region in more detail. Results are presented for Be9, B10, B11, and C12 at an incident beam energy of 10.6 GeV. The EMC effect in the boron isotopes was found to be similar to that for Be9 and C12, yielding almost no nuclear dependence in the EMC effect in the range A=4-12. This represents important new data supporting the hypothesis that the EMC effect depends primarily on the local nuclear environment due to the cluster structure of these nuclei.