K+ photoproduction at SPring-8/LEPS

A series of experiments have been carried out by using a linearly polarized photon beam at the SPring-8/LEPS facility from December 2000 to June 2001. The photon beam asymmetries and differential cross sections of the p(gamma,K+)Lambda and p(gamma,K+)Sigma^0 reactions have been measured in the photon energy range from 1.5 GeV to 2.4 GeV at forward angles, 0 deg. < Theta_cm < 60 deg.. We report preliminary results of the photon beam asymmetries.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in the Proceedings (Nuclear Physics A) of the PANIC02, Osaka, Sept 30 - Oct 4, 200

Backward-angle photoproduction of π0\pi^0 mesons on the proton at EγE_\gamma = 1.5--2.4 GeV

Differential cross sections and photon beam asymmetries for $\pi^0$ photoproduction have been measured at $E_\gamma$ = 1.5--2.4 GeV and at the $\pi^0$ scattering angles, --1 $<$ cos$\Theta_{c.m.} <$ --0.6. The energy-dependent slope of differential cross sections for $u$-channel $\pi^0$ production has been determined. An enhancement at backward angles is found above $E_\gamma$ = 2.0 GeV. This is inferred to be due to the $u$-channel contribution and/or resonances. Photon beam asymmetries have been obtained for the first time at backward angles. A strong angular dependence has been found at $E_\gamma >$ 2.0 GeV, which may be due to the unknown high-mass resonances.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PL

Forward coherent ϕ\phi-meson photoproduction from deuterons near threshold

Differential cross sections and decay asymmetries for coherent $\phi$-meson photoproduction from deuterons were measured for the first time at forward angles using linearly polarized photons at $E_{\gamma}$= 1.5-2.4 GeV. This reaction offers a unique way to directly access natural-parity Pomeron dynamics and gluon exchange at low energies. The cross sections at zero degrees increase with increasing photon energy. The decay asymmetries demonstrate a complete dominance of natural-parity exchange processes, showing that isovector unnatural-parity $\pi$-meson exchange is small. Nevertheless the deduced cross sections of $\phi$-mesons from nucleons contributed by isoscalar t-channel exchange processes are not well described by the conventional Pomeron model.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures. Final published versio

Photoproduction of Lambda(1405) and Sigma^{0}(1385) on the proton at E_\gamma = 1.5-2.4 GeV

Differential cross sections for $\gamma p \to K^+\Lambda(1405)$ and $\gamma p \to K^+\Sigma^0(1385)$ reactions have been measured in the photon energy range from 1.5 to 2.4 GeV and the angular range of $0.8<\cos(\Theta)<1.0$ for the $K^+$ scattering angle in the center-of-mass system. This data is the first measurement of the $\Lambda(1405)$ photoproduction cross section. The lineshapes of \LamS measured in $\Sigma^+\pi^-$ and $\Sigma^-\pi^+$ decay modes were different with each other, indicating a strong interference of the isospin 0 and 1 terms of the $\Sigma\pi$ scattering amplitudes. The ratios of \LamS production to \SigS production were measured in two photon energy ranges: near the production threshold ($1.5<E_\gamma<2.0$ GeV) and far from it ($2.0 <E_\gamma<2.4$ GeV). The observed ratio decreased in the higher photon energy region, which may suggest different production mechanisms and internal structures for these hyperon resonances

Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn Sum Rule and the Discrepancy between the New CLAS and SAPHIR Data

Contribution of the K^+\Lambda channel to the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule has been calculated by using the models that fit the recent SAPHIR or CLAS differential cross section data. It is shown that the two data sets yield quite different contributions. Contribution of this channel to the forward spin polarizability of the proton has been also calculated. It is also shown that the inclusion of the recent CLAS C_x and C_z data in the fitting data base does not significantly change the result of the present calculation. Results of the fit, however, reveal the role of the S_{11}(1650), P_{11}(1710), P_{13}(1720), and P_{13}(1900) resonances for the description of the C_x and C_z data. A brief discussion on the importance of these resonances is given. Measurements of the polarized total cross section \sigma_{TT'} by the CLAS, LEPS, and MAMI collaborations are expected to verify this finding.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure