J. Peise

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.

Near-threshold photoproduction of η-mesons from the deuteron

Abstract The first measurement of incoherent η-photoproduction from the deuteron in the threshold region is reported. The experiment was carried out at the MAMI accelerator with the TAPS spectrometer. Total and differential inclusive cross sections have been obtained between 627 and 790 MeV. It is found that the reaction is completely dominated by the incoherent part. An upper limit for coherent η-photoproduction on the deuteron is deduced, which is substantially lower than the result from an earlier measurement. The incoherent cross section is reproduced in a participant-spectator approach under the assumption of an energy-independent ratio between the neutron and proton cross sections. Best agreement is found for the ratio σ n σ p ≈ 2 3 . The implications for the isospin components of the electromagnetic excitation of the S11(1535) resonance are discussed.

Near threshold photoproduction of η-mesons from complex nuclei

Total and differential cross sections for photoproduction of eta mesons from C-12, Ca-40, Nb-93 and Pb-nat have been obtained up to 790 MeV incident photon energy at the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) with the TAPS spectrometer. The absorption cross section sigma(eta N)(abs) = (30 +/- 2.5 +/- 6) mb of eta mesons in nuclear matter and the absorption length lambda(eta) = (2.0 +/- 0.2 +/- 0.4) fm are extracted. No significant depletion of the S(1)1(1535) strength in the eta photoproduction on nuclei is observed.

Neutral pion photoproduction from the proton near threshold

Abstract 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.

Near threshold photoproduction of

Abstract The first measurement of incoherent η-photoproduction from the deuteron in the threshold region is reported. The experiment was carried out at the MAMI accelerator with the TAPS spectrometer. Total and differential inclusive cross sections have been obtained between 627 and 790 MeV. It is found that the reaction is completely dominated by the incoherent part. An upper limit for coherent η-photoproduction on the deuteron is deduced, which is substantially lower than the result from an earlier measurement. The incoherent cross section is reproduced in a participant-spectator approach under the assumption of an energy-independent ratio between the neutron and proton cross sections. Best agreement is found for the ratio σ n σ p ≈ 2 3 . The implications for the isospin components of the electromagnetic excitation of the S11(1535) resonance are discussed.

\eta

Abstract Coherent bremsstrahlung is produced using the 855 MeV electron beam of the Mainz three-stage racetrack microtron MAMI and a diamond crystal inserted as a radiator into the MAMI tagging system. By counting only the electrons on the tagger ladder an intensity spectrum ranging from 50 MeV to 800 MeV was obtained with good statistical accuracy in a running time of 2 s. This short running time makes it possible to measure a complete intensity pattern versus photon energy for different orientations of the diamond crystal in about 15 minutes. By comparing these measured intensity patterns with calculations it becomes possible to precisely align the crystal axes with respect to the axes of the goniometer. Relative intensities of coherent bremsstrahlung are determined experimentally by normalizing the diamond data to data obtained with an amorphous Ni radiator. Good agreement is obtained between experiment and prediction when taking into account the beam divergence, multiple scattering of electrons in the radiator, the Z dependence of the bremsstrahlung spectrum and the finite Debye temperature of diamond. With a collimated photon beam having an aperture of half the characteristic angle degrees of linear polarization appear to be possible ranging from 80% at 200 MeV over 65% at 300 MeV and 55% at 400 MeV to 35% at 500 MeV.

-mesons from the deuteron

Abstract The total photofission cross section σγ, F for 238U has been measured as a substitute for the total photon absorption cross section σtot in the energy range of the first baryon resonances (50⩽Eγ⩽800 MeV). The experiments were performed at the tagging facility of the new 855 MeV Mainz Microton MAMI B using monochromatic photons and a sophisticated 4π-arrangement of position sensitive fragment detectors. The measured cross section agrees in the Δ-resonance region with previous results and the so-called universal curve αtot/A. In the energy region of the D13-resonance near 710 MeV resonancelike structure could be observed as is seen for the free proton.

Linearly polarized photons at MAMI (Mainz)

Abstract Differential cross sections for Compton scattering by the proton have been measured in the energy interval between 200 and 500 MeV at scattering angles of θ cms = 75° and θ cms = 90° using the CATS, the CATS/TRAJAN, and the COPP setups with the Glasgow Tagger at MAMI (Mainz). The data are compared with predictions from dispersion theory using photo-meson amplitudes from the recent VPI solution SM95. The experiment and the theoretical procedure are described in detail. It is found that the experiment and predictions are in agreement as far as the energy dependence of the differential cross sections in the Δ-range is concerned. However, there is evidence that a scaling down of the resonance part of the M 1+ 3 2 photo-meson amplitude by (2.8 ± 0.9)% is required in comparison with the VPI analysis. The deduced value of the M 1+ 3 2 - photoproduction amplitude at the resonance energy of 320 MeV is: |M 1+ 3 2 | = (39.6 ± 0.4) × 10 −3 m π + −1 .

Total photofission cross section for 238U as a substitute for the photon absorption cross section in the energy range of the first baryon resonances

Abstract The differential cross section for the scattering of photons by the proton was measured in the energy range Eγ = 250−500 MeV at the scattering angle θcms = 90° ± 3°. The tagged photon beam of the MAMI accelerator was used and both the scattered photon and the recoil proton were detected. The data essentially are consistent with dispersion theories, and remove the discrepancy that has existed above 290 MeV between theory and earlier published experimental results.

Compton scattering by the proton through θcms = 75° and 90° in the Δ-resonance region

Abstract The elastic and inelastic photon scattering from 12 C was investigated in the energy range of the Δ-resonance ( E γ = 200–500 MeV) at a scattering angle of 40°. The experiment was performed with the tagged photon facility at the cw electron accelerator MAMI ( E e − = 855 MeV). By using a large NaI(Tl) detector having an energy resolution of 1.5%, the elastic scattering could be separated from the inelastic process to the first excited state ( E x = 4.44 MeV of 12 C. The differential cross section for the coherent scattering is compared with a simple static ansatz, that uses the known charge form factor, and with a recent Δ-hole calculation.