Photoproduction of positive pions from hydrogen at large angles in the energy range 0.3–2.0 GeV

The differential cross-section for the reaction γp↦π ⁺ n was measured using the bremsstrahlung beam of the Bonn 2.5 GeV electron synchrotron. The pions were detected and momentum analysed in a multichannel magnet spectrometer. Data reduction resulted in 1278 measured cross-sections which are presented as energy distributions at six laboratory angles between 180° and 95°. The range of laboratory photon energies extended from 0.3 to 2.1 GeV. The statistical accuracy is better than 3 percent, the systematic error is about 5 percent. The data are compared with other experimental results and predictions of a phenomenological analysis. These cross-sections are the result of a measurement program which was started in the seventies. Further results will be reported in forthcoming publications. Received: 2 February 2000 / Accepted: 14 August 2001     

Measurement of the beam asymmetry Σ in πeta; production off the proton with the CBELSA/TAPS experiment?

In photoproduction experiments, a large number of final states yielding various resonance contributions are accessible. To extract resonance parameters via partial-wave analysis not only the measurement of differential cross-sections is necessary, but also the determination of polarization observables. At the electron accelerator ELSA (Bonn) the coherent bremsstrahlung method was used to generate a linearly polarized photon beam. Using the CBELSA/TAPS detector setup, the beam asymmetry Σ in the reaction γp → pπ⁰η was determined as a function of various masses and angles for photon energies between 970MeV and 1650MeV.     

Exclusive measurement of coherent η-photoproduction from the deuteron

Coherent photoproduction of η-mesons from the deuteron has been measured from threshold up to E _γ≈ 750 MeV using the photon spectrometer TAPS at the tagged photon facility at the Mainz microtron MAMI. For the first time, differential coherent cross-sections have been deduced from the coincident detection of the η-meson and the recoil deuteron. A missing-energy analysis was used for the suppression of background events so that a very clean identification of coherent η-photoproduction was achieved. The resulting cross-sections agree with previous experimental results except for angles around 90^° in the γd c.m. system where they are smaller. They are compared to various model calculations. Received: 5 April 2001 / Accepted: 3 September 2001     

Photoproduction of neutral pion pairs from the proton

Double neutral pion photoproduction from the proton has been measured at MAMI for photon energies between threshold and 820 MeV. The reaction was identified by an invariant mass and missing mass analysis. From threshold up to 370 MeV the total cross-section does not exceed 30 nb. For higher energies it shows a smooth rise until it reaches a maximum of about 10 μb at E _γ = 740 MeV. Dalitz plots of m ²(π⁰π⁰) versus m ²(p,π⁰) for seven bins of incident photon energy have been analysed. For E _γ > 610 MeV, a strong contribution of a sequential decay is observed with the Δ(1232)-resonance as intermediate state. A comparison to model calculations shows that these sequential decays presumably originate from the D ₁₃(1520) and also the P ₁₁(1440)-resonance. Received: 6 June 2000 / Accepted: 18 August 2000     

Photoproduction of πmesons off protons from the Δ(1232) region to Eγ = 3 GeV

Photoproduction of π⁰-mesons was studied with the Crystal-Barrel detector at ELSA for incident energies from 300MeV to 3GeV. Differential cross-sections dσ/dΩ, dσ/dt, and the total cross-section are presented. For E _γ < 3GeV, the angular distributions agree well with the SAID parametrization. At photon energies above 1.5GeV, a strong forward peaking indicates t-channel exchange to be the dominant process. The rapid variations of the cross-section with energy and angle indicate production of resonances. An interpretation of the data within the Bonn-Gatchina partial-wave analysis is briefly discussed.     

Coherent and incoherent π0 photoproduction from the deuteron

Differential cross-sections for the reactions d (γ,π⁰)d and d (γ,π⁰)pn have been measured at MAMI with the TAPS detector setup in the energy range 140 MeV < E _γ < 306 MeV. By use of the Glasgow tagging spectrometer an 0.8 MeV energy resolution for photons incident on the target was achieved. The π⁰ missing energy resolution was sufficient for a reliable separation of coherent and incoherent channels. The data for the break-up channel exhibit very strong final state interaction effects, whereas the observed angular dependence of the inclusive process d (γ,π⁰)X is in quantitative agreement with predictions for a quasi-free process. The observed absolute d (γ,π⁰)X cross-sections, on the other hand, are significantly smaller than predicted by the quasi-free process for E _γ >∼ 250 MeV. Associating this failure with the π⁰ photoproduction on the neutron would suggest that its cross-section is up to 25% below the presently believed value. Received: 13 February 2001 / Accepted: 13 April 2001     

In-medium spectral functions of charmonia studied by ¯p + A reactions<Superscript>a</Superscript>

We study the perspectives of resonant charmonium production in ˉp + A reactions within the Multiple Scattering Monte Carlo (MSMC) approach. We calculate the production of the resonances Ψ(2S) and Ψ(3770) on various nuclei, their propagation and decay to dileptons and D + ˉD in the medium and vacuum, respectively, employing parametrizations for the D,ˉD self-energies taken from QCD sum rule studies. The elastic and inelastic interactions of the charmonia and open-charm mesons in the medium are taken into account, too. It is found that the D,ˉD invariant-mass spectra from light and heavy nuclei are not sufficiently sensitive to the in-medium properties of the Ψ(2S) and Ψ(3770). However, a “suppression” of low-mass dileptons from the Ψ(3770) might be seen experimentally as well as a small broadening of the Ψ(2S) dilepton spectra. Received: 19 December 2002 / Accepted: 28 February 2003 / Published online: 5 June 2003     

Photoproduction of η -mesons off protons

Photoproduction of η -mesons was studied with the Crystal-Barrel detector at ELSA for photon energies in the range from 0.75 to 3GeV. Total and differential cross-sections are presented. The η mesons are detected in two decay modes, in η → 2γ and in η → 3π⁰ → 6γ . The cross-sections vary slowly as functions of energy and η production angle suggesting that only few resonances make significant contributions to the cross-section. For photon energies above 1.5GeV, the differential cross-sections show a strong forward peak due to meson exchanges in the t channel. A comparison of the η -photoproduction cross-sections with SAID and MAID as well as with a partial-wave analysis performed on our data in combination with other data sets shows good agreement. The Bonn-Gatchina partial-wave analysis suggests that the largest contribution to η photoproduction for energies below 3GeV proceeds via three resonances, the well-known N(1535)S ₁₁ , via N(1720)P ₁₃ , and a newly suggested N(2070)D ₁₅ .     

Low-energy Compton scattering and the polarizabilities of the proton

Differential cross-sections for Compton scattering from the proton have been measured at the MAMI tagged photon facility using the TAPS setup. The data cover an angular range of θ^lab _γ = 59^°-155^° and photon energies ranging from 55 MeV to 165 MeV. Our results are in good agreement with those from previous experiments, but yield higher precision. Using dispersion relations the proton polarizabilities have been determined to be = [11.9±0.5_stat.±1.3_syst.±0.3_mod.] ^. 10^-4 fm ³ and = [1.2±0.7_stat.±0.3_syst.±0.4_mod.)] ^. 10^-4 fm ³. These results confirm the Baldin sum rule which was re-evaluated to be + = [13.8±0.4] ^. 10^-4 fm ³. We can also conclude that there is no significant additional asymptotic contribution to the backward spin polarizability γ_π beyond the t-channel π⁰-exchange. Received: 9 January 2001 / Accepted: 13 February 2001     

First measurement of the helicity dependence for the γp → pπreaction

The helicity dependence of the total cross-section and the invariant-mass distributions in the (pπ^±) and (π⁺π^-) final states for the γp → pπ⁺π^- reaction have been measured for the first time at incident photon energies from 400 to 800MeV. The measurement was performed with the large-acceptance detector DAPHNE at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI accelerator in Mainz. Although this channel is found to be predominantly excited by the intermediate production of a Δπ state, both the measured unpolarized and the helicity-dependent observables are generally not well described by the existing theoretical models.     

First measurement of the helicity-dependent γ p?pη differential cross-section

The helicity dependence of the γ p↦pη reaction has been measured for the first time at a center-of-mass angle θ^* _η = 70^° in the photon energy range from 780 MeV to 790 MeV. The experiment, performed at the Mainz microtron MAMI, used a 4π-detector system, a circularly polarized, tagged photon beam, and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target. The helicity 3/2 cross-section is found to be small and the results for helicity 1/2 agree with predictions from the MAID analysis. Received: 19 December 2002 / Accepted: 10 March 2003 / Published online: 20 May 2003     

Subthreshold and near threshold K+ meson photoproduction\newline on nuclei

The inclusive K⁺ meson production in photon–induced reactions in the near threshold and subthreshold energy regimes is analyzed with respect to the one–step (γN→K ⁺ Y, Y=Λ,Σ) incoherent production processes on the basis of an appropriate new folding model, which takes properly into account the struck target nucleon removal energy and internal momentum distribution (nucleon spectral function), extracted from recent quasielastic electron scattering experiments and from many–body calculations with realistic models of the NN interaction. Simple parametrizations for the total and differential cross sections of the K⁺ production in photon–nucleon collisions are presented. Comparison of the model calculations of the K⁺ differential cross sections for the reaction γ+C¹² in the threshold region with the existing experimental data is given, that displays the contributions to the K⁺ production at considered incident energies coming from the use of the single–particle part as well as high momentum and high removal energy part of the nucleon spectral function. Detailed predictions for the K⁺ total and differential cross sections from γH², γC¹² and γPb²⁰⁸ reactions at subthreshold and near threshold energies are provided. The influence of the uncertainties in the elementary K⁺ production cross sections on the K⁺ yield is explored. Received: 12 April 1999 / Revised version: 11 September 1999     

Nonlinear optical properties of a new two-photon-absorption organic dye: HEASPS

Trans-4-[p-(N-hydroxyethyl-N-ethylamino)styryl]-N-methylpyridinium p-toluene sulfonate (abbreviated as HEASPS) is a two-photon-absorption (TPA) dye newly synthesized by our research group. It possesses a much larger TPA cross-section and much stronger upconversion fluorescence emission than those of common organic dyes (such as rhodamine) when excited with near-infrared (IR) radiation. TPA spectrum and upconversion efficiency spectrum of HEASPS solution at different wavelengths have been measured. The largest molecular TPA cross-section σ₂ ^′ is measured to be 2.06×10^-47 cm⁴ s/photon at 930 nm. At 1064 nm, σ₂ ^′ is 2.71×10^-48 cm⁴ s/photon, which is only one-ninth of that at 930 nm. The upconverted lasing efficiency spectrum has been measured at different wavelengths. The highest efficiency is 5.1% at 1020 nm, whereas it is 3.5% at 1064 nm. Its optical-power-limiting properties at 930 nm have also been illustrated. Received: 30 November 2000 / Published online: 27 April 2001     

Quantum chromodynamics studies at LEP2

Several studies have been made to the hadronic final states in e ⁺ e ⁻ collisions at LEP. Studies of the annihilation process at LEP2 have given rise to results on jet rate, event shape, heavy flavour production, inclusive momentum spectra, Bose-Einstein correlation and colour reconnection effects. Event shape studies have given rise to accurate determination of the strong coupling constant α _s using O (α _s ² ) with resummed leading and next-to-leading log calculation and also with power law corrections. Studies of 2-photon processes have yielded results on γγ cross-section, heavy flavour production, photon structure function and γ*γ* scattering.     

K0πand K*0Σ+ photoproduction off the proton

The exclusive reactions γp → K ^*0Σ⁺(1189) and γp → K ⁰π⁰Σ⁺(1189) , leading to the p 4π⁰ final state, have been measured with a tagged photon beam for incident energies from threshold up to 2.5GeV. The experiment has been performed at the tagged photon facility of the ELSA accelerator (Bonn). The Crystal Barrel and TAPS detectors were combined to a photon detector system of almost 4π geometrical acceptance. Differential and total cross-sections are reported. At energies close to the threshold, a flat angular distribution has been observed for the reaction γp → K ⁰π⁰Σ⁺ suggesting dominant s -channel production. Σ^*(1385) and higher-lying hyperon states have been observed. An enhancement in the forward direction in the angular distributions of the reaction γp → K ^*0Σ⁺ indicates a t -channel exchange contribution to the reaction mechanism. The experimental data are in reasonable agreement with recent theoretical predictions.     

Measurement of prompt photons with associated jets in photoproduction at HERA

The photoproduction of prompt photons, together with an accompanying jet, has been studied in ep collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 318 GeV with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 77 pb^-1. Cross sections were measured for the transverse energy of the photon and the jet larger than 5 and 6 GeV, respectively. The differential γ+jet cross sections were reconstructed as functions of the transverse energy, pseudorapidity and x_γ ^obs, the fraction of the incoming photon momentum taken by the photon-jet system. Predictions based on leading-logarithm parton-shower Monte Carlo models and next-to-leading-order (NLO) QCD generally underestimate the cross sections for the transverse energies of prompt photons below 7 GeV, while the k_T-factorisation QCD calculation agrees with the data better. When the minimum transverse energy of prompt photons is increased to 7 GeV, both NLO QCD and the k_T-factorisation calculations are in good agreement with the data.     

Search for exotics in γD↦φnp reactions near threshold<Superscript>⋆</Superscript>

We discuss coherent and incoherent φ -meson photoproduction off the deuteron at low energy and small momentum transfer with the aim to check whether the recent experimental data need for their interpretation an inclusion of exotic channels. Our analysis of the differential cross-section and spin-density matrix elements shows that new data on the γD → φX reaction at E _γ ∼ 2 GeV may be understood on the basis of conventional dynamics.     

Off-shell photon light-cone wave functions with odd chirality

Based on a more reasonable simulation method for dealing with the Λ-parameter characterizing the pole form for the form factor (the Fourier transform of the instanton zero mode), and a unified way for regularizing the integrals appearing in the expressions of the light-cone photon wave functions, the transverse photon wave function (u, P ²) at the leading twist with the on-shell or off-shell momentum have been re-examined in the effective low-energy theory derived from the instanton vacuum, and the twist-two parts of the other two photon wave functions, h ^{(s), twisttwo} _{γ ||} (u, P ²) and h ^{(t), twisttwo} _{γ ||} (u, P ²), with odd chirality are calculated based on the Wandzura-Wilczek-like relations as well. A brief discussion of the dependence of the coupling f _γ ^⊥(P ²) and the light-cone photon wave functions with respect to P² and the end-point behavior of the photon wave functions are given.     

Partial wave analysis of πproduction in two-photon collisions at LEP

The reaction γγ → π⁺π^-π⁰ with quasi-real photons is studied with a total integrated luminosity of 663pb^-1, collected by the L3 detector at LEP at center-of-mass energies from 183 to 209GeV. The results of an energy-dependent partial wave analysis in the mass region 1.1≤M(π⁺π^-π⁰)≤2.2GeV are presented. The reaction is dominated by a₂(1320) formation. A strong signal consistent with the first radial excitation of the isovector tensor state, a₂(1700), is present and confirms the previous L3 observation. Its two-photon partial width is found to be Br(3π) = 0.37^+0.12_-0.08keV, the relative branching ratio of ρ(770)π to f₂(1270)π is 3.4±0.4. For all observed states the product of γγ partial width and 3π branching ratios is measured.