Compton Scattering by the Proton using a Large-Acceptance Arrangement

Compton scattering by the proton has been measured using the tagged-photon facility at MAMI (Mainz) and the large-acceptance arrangement LARA. The new data are interpreted in terms of dispersion theory based on the SAID-SM99K parameterization of photo-meson amplitudes. It is found that two-pion exchange in the t-channel is needed for a description of the data in the second resonance region. The data are well represented if this channel is modeled by a single pole with mass parameter m(sigma)=600 MeV. The asymptotic part of the spin dependent amplitude is found to be well represented by pi-0-exchange in the t-channel. A backward spin-polarizability of gamma(pi)=(-37.1+-0.6(stat+syst)+-3.0(model))x10^{-4}fm^4 has been determined from data of the first resonance region below 455 MeV. This value is in a good agreement with predictions of dispersion relations and chiral pertubation theory. From a subset of data between 280 and 360 MeV the resonance pion-photoproduction amplitudes were evaluated leading to a E2/M1 multipole ratio of the p-to-Delta radiative transition of EMR(340 MeV)=(-1.7+-0.4(stat+syst)+-0.2(model))%. It was found that this number is dependent on the parameterization of photo-meson amplitudes. With the MAID2K parameterization an E2/M1 multipole ratio of EMR(340 MeV)=(-2.0+-0.4(stat+syst)+-0.2(model))% is obtained

Low-Energy Compton Scattering of Polarized Photons on Polarized Nucleons

The general structure of the cross section of $\gamma N$ scattering with polarized photon and/or nucleon in initial and/or final state is systematically described and exposed through invariant amplitudes. A low-energy expansion of the cross section up to and including terms of order $\omega^4$ is given which involves ten structure parameters of the nucleon (dipole, quadrupole, dispersion, and spin polarizabilities). Their physical meaning is discussed in detail. Using fixed-t dispersion relations, predictions for these parameters are obtained and compared with results of chiral perturbation theory. It is emphasized that Compton scattering experiments at large angles can fix the most uncertain of these structure parameters. Predictions for the cross section and double-polarization asymmetries are given and the convergence of the expansion is investigated. The feasibility of the experimental determination of some of the struture parameters is discussed.Comment: 41 pages of text, 9 figures; minor revisions prior to publication in Phys. Rev.

Fixed-t subtracted dispersion relations for Compton scattering off the nucleon

We present fixed-$t$ subtracted dispersion relations for Compton scattering off the nucleon at energies $E_\gamma \leq$ 500 MeV, as a formalism to extract the nucleon polarizabilities with a minimum of model dependence. The subtracted dispersion integrals are mainly saturated by $\pi N$ intermediate states in the $s$-channel $\gamma N \to \pi N \to \gamma N$ and $\pi \pi$ intermediate states in the $t$-channel $\gamma \gamma \to \pi \pi \to N \bar N$. For the subprocess $\gamma \gamma \to \pi \pi$, we construct a unitarized amplitude and find a good description of the available data. We show results for Compton scattering using the subtracted dispersion relations and display the sensitivity on the scalar polarizability difference $\alpha - \beta$ and the backward spin polarizability $\gamma_\pi$, which enter directly as fit parameters in the present formalism

Angular and polarization dependence of Compton scattering from 4He^4 He in the Δ-resonance region

Using linearly polarized tagged photons from coherent bremsstrahlung, differential cross sections and beam asymmetries for Compton scattering by have been measured at MAMI in the energy interval between 150 MeV and 500 MeV for scattering angles of θγlab=37°, 93° and 137°, thus largely increasing the available data base. Improved calculations in terms of the Δ-hole model completely fail to describe the data at large scattering angles. The same proved to be true for a schematic model, even after taking into account properties of nuclear photo-absorption in very detail

Neutral pion photoproduction from the proton near threshold

Differential and total cross sections for the photoproduction of neutral pions from the proton have been measured for incident photon energies from 140-270 MeV, using the photon spectrometer TAPS at the tagged photon beam of the 855 MeV Mainz Microtron. The energy dependence of the s- and p-wave multipoles close to threshold was deduced from a multipole fit and a multipole analysis. The extracted s-wave amplitude E(0+) at threshold is found to be significantly smaller than the prediction of the classical low energy theorems, but is in reasonable agreement with the chiral perturbation theory

Response of TAPS to monochromatic photons with energies between 45 and 790 MeV

The Two Arm Photon Spectrometer TAPS - comprising 384 plastic-BaF2 scintillator telescopes - was tested with monochromatic photons in the energy range between 45 and 790 MeV. The energy resolution for a collimated photon beam hitting the central detector module was determined to sigma/E = 0.59% X E(gamma)-1/2 + 1.9% (E, given in GeV). For the the fast scintillation component alone sigma/E = 0.79% X E(gamma)-1/2 + 1.8% has been measured. The position resolution of the point of impact amounts to DELTAx = 2 cm (FWHM) at the highest energies which corresponds to 30% of the diameter of an individual module. Monte Carlo simulations using the code GEANT3 are in good agreement with the experimental results