Dispersion Theoretical Analysis of Pion Photoproduction at Threshold and in the Delta Region

A new partial wave analysis of pion photoproduction has been obtained in the framework of fixed-t dispersion relations valid form threshold up to 500 MeV. It is based on new Mainz data for \pi^{0} and \pi^{+} production off the proton and both older and more recent data from Bonn, Frascati and TRIUMF for \pi^{+} and \pi^{-}. At threshold we obtain a good agreement with the existing data for both charged and neutral pion production. In the resonance region we have precisely determined the electromagnetic properties of the \Delta(1232) resonance, in particular the E2/M1 ratio R_{EM}=(-2.5 \pm 0.1) %. We show that a model independent resonance background subtraction is possible with the speed-plot technique and obtain the \Delta pole at W =(1211 - 50i) MeV and the E2/M1 ratio of the residues as R_{\Delta} = - 0.035 - 0.046 i.Comment: 5 pages of LATEX, invited talk given at the 7th International Symposium on Meson-Nucleon Physics and the Structure of the Nucleon (MENU97), Vancouver, B.C., Canada, July 28 - August 1, 199

Nucleon Resonance Excitation with Virtual Photons

The unitary isobar model MAID is used for a partial wave analysis of pion photoproduction and electroproduction data on the nucleon. In particular we have taken emphasis on the region of the Delta(1232) resonance and have separated the resonance and background amplitudes with the K-matrix approach. This leads to electromagnetic properties of the dressed Delta resonance, where all multipole amplitudes become purely imaginary and all form factors and helicity amplitudes become purely real at the K-matrix pole of W=M_Delta=1232 MeV. The REM=E2/M1 and RSM=C2/M1 ratios of the quadrupole excitation are compared to recent data analysis of different groups. The REM ratio of MAID2005 agrees very well with the data and has a linear behavior over the whole experimentally explored Q^2 region with a small positive slope that predicts a zero crossing around 3.5 GeV^2. The recent RSM data for Q^2 < 0.2 GeV^2 indicate a qualitative change in the shape of the ratio which can be explained by the impact of the Siegert theorem at pseudothreshold (Q^2=-0.086 GeV^2) in the unphysical region.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, Workshop Shape of Hadrons, Athens, Greece, 200

On the Coupling of the η\eta Meson to the Nucleon

The pseudoscalar and pseudovector $\eta N$ coupling constants are calculated from an effective vertex associated with the $a_0(980)\pi N$ triangle diagram. The predicted values are in agreement with the ones concluded from fitting $\eta$ photoproduction amplitudes. In this context we stress the importance of the properties of the scalar meson octet for $\eta$ meson physics.Comment: 11 pages LATEX and 2 postscript figures included in a self-extracting uufile type archiv

Analysis of eta production using a generalized Lee model

We have investigated the processes N($\pi$, $\pi$)N and N($\pi$, $\eta$)N close to eta threshold using a simple, nonrelativistic Lee model which has the advantage of being analytically solvable. It is then possible to study the Riemann sheets of the S-matrix and the behavior of its resonance poles especially close to threshold. A theoretical simulation of the experimental cusp effect at eta threshold leads to a characteristic distribution of poles on the Riemann sheets. We find a pole located in the $4^{th}$ Riemann sheet that up to now has not been discussed. It belongs to the cusp peak at eta threshold. In addition we obtain the surprising result using the Lee model that the resonance $S_{11}(1535)$ does not play a large role. The main features of the experimental data can be reproduced without explicitly introducing this resonance. Furthermore, we have also studied the reactions N($\gamma$, $\pi$)N and N($\gamma$, $\eta$)N and find reasonable agreement between the data and both models with and without the $S_{11}(1535)$ resonance.Comment: 17 pages LATEX including 13 Figurs, submitted to Z. Phys.