Absorption of the ω and φ Mesons in Nuclei

Due to their long lifetimes, the $\omega$ and $\phi$ mesons are the ideal candidates for the study of possible modifications of the in-medium meson-nucleon interaction through their absorption inside the nucleus. During the E01-112 experiment at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, the mesons were photoproduced from $^{2}$H, C, Ti, Fe, and Pb targets. This paper reports the first measurement of the ratio of nuclear transparencies for the $e^{+}e^{-}$ channel. The ratios indicate larger in-medium widths compared with what have been reported in other reaction channels.