Exchange-component analysis of neutral pseudoscalar meson photoproduction

π⁰ and η photoproduction data in the region of 4 GeV are decomposed into t-channel exchange components of definite isospin and parity. The latter are discussed in terms of Regge exchange models and compared to vector-meson dominance related processes. The isospin-one natural parity-exchange component is smooth and structureless. The dominant unatural parity exchange in π⁰ photoproduction has isospin zero. As in π^± photoproduction the ratio of natural to unnatural parity exchange is found to be larger than the vector-dominance expectation. Complementary information from a recent spin decomposition of γp → π⁰p gives further insight into the SU (3) properties of the exchanges. We predict unmeasured quantities and stress, in particular, the importance of studying γn → π⁰n with polarised photons.