Search

Data on the beam asymmetry Σ in the photoproduction of η mesons off protons are reported for tagged photon energies from 1130 to 1790 MeV (mass range from W=1748 MeV to W=2045 MeV). The data cover the full solid angle that allows for a precise moment analysis. For the first time, a strong cusp effect in a polarization observable has been observed that is an effect of a branch-point singularity at the pη^{'} threshold [E_{γ}=1447 MeV (W=1896 MeV)]. The latest BnGa partial wave analysis includes the new beam asymmetry data and yields a strong indication for the N(1895)1/2^{-} nucleon resonance, demonstrating the importance of including all singularities for a correct determination of partial waves and resonance parameters.

Data on the beam asymmetry Σ in the photoproduction of η mesons off protons are reported for tagged photon energies from 1130 to 1790 MeV (mass range from W=1748 MeV to W=2045 MeV). The data cover the full solid angle that allows for a precise moment analysis. For the first time, a strong cusp effect in a polarization observable has been observed that is an effect of a branch-point singularity at the pη^{'} threshold [E_{γ}=1447 MeV (W=1896 MeV)]. The latest BnGa partial wave analysis includes the new beam asymmetry data and yields a strong indication for the N(1895)1/2^{-} nucleon resonance, demonstrating the importance of including all singularities for a correct determination of partial waves and resonance parameters.

Quasi-free photoproduction of $ \eta{^\prime}$ -mesons off nucleons bound in the deuteron has been measured with the combined Crystal Barrel - TAPS detector. The experiment was done at a tagged photon beam of the ELSA electron accelerator in Bonn for incident photon energies from the production threshold up to 2.5GeV. The $ \eta{^\prime}$ -mesons have been detected in coincidence with recoil protons and recoil neutrons. The quasi-free proton data are in good agreement with the results for free protons, indicating that nuclear effects have no significant impact. The coincidence with recoil neutrons provides the first data for the $ \gamma$ n $ \rightarrow$ n $ \eta{^\prime}$ reaction. In addition, also first estimates for coherent $ \eta{^\prime}$ -production off the deuteron have been obtained. In agreement with model predictions, the total cross-section for this channel is found to be very small, at most at the level of a few nb. The data are compared to model calculations taking into account contributions from nucleon resonances and t -channel exchanges

Photoproduction of $\eta$ mesons off $^{12}$C, $^{40}$Ca, $^{93}$Nb, and $^{nat}$Pb nuclei has been measured with a tagged photon beam with energies between 0.6 and 2.2 GeV. The experiment was performed at the Bonn ELSA accelerator with the combined setup of the Crystal Barrel and TAPS calorimeters. It aimed at the in-medium properties of the S$_{11}$(1535) nucleon resonance and the study of the absorption properties of nuclear matter for $\eta$ mesons. Careful consideration was given to contributions from $\eta\pi$ final states and secondary production mechanisms of $\eta$-mesons e.g. from inelastic $\pi N$ reactions of intermediate pions. The analysis of the mass number scaling shows that the nuclear absorption cross section $\sigma_{N\eta}$ for $\eta$ mesons is constant over a wide range of the $\eta$ momentum. The comparison of the excitation functions to data off the deuteron and to calculations in the framework of a BUU-model show no unexplained in-medium modifications of the S$_{11}$(1535)., Comment: Accepted for publication in Eur. Phys. J. A

Photoproduction of $\eta$ mesons from neutrons} \abstract{Results from measurements of the photoproduction of $\eta$ mesons from quasifree protons and neutrons are summarized. The experiments were performed with the CBELSA/TAPS detector at the electron accelerator ELSA in Bonn using the $\eta\to3\pi^{0}\to6\gamma$ decay. A liquid deuterium target was used for the measurement of total cross sections and angular distributions. The results confirm earlier measurements from Bonn and the MAMI facility in Mainz about the existence of a narrow structure in the excitation function of $\gamma n\rightarrow n\eta$. The current angular distributions show a forward-backward asymmetry, which was previously not seen, but was predicted by model calculations including an additional narrow $P_{11}$ state. Furthermore, data obtained with a longitudinally polarized, deuterated butanol target and a circularly polarized photon beam were analyzed to determine the double polarization observable $E$. Both data sets together were also used to extract the helicity dependent cross sections $\sigma_{1/2}$ and $\sigma_{3/2}$. The narrow structure in the excitation function of $\gamma n\rightarrow n\eta$ appears associated with the helicity-1/2 component of the reaction.

In a search for $\omega$ mesic states, the production of $\omega$-mesons in coincidence with forward going protons has been studied in photon induced reactions on $^{12}$C for incident photon energies of 1250 - 3100 MeV. The $\pi^0 \gamma$ pairs from decays of bound or quasi-free $\omega$-mesons have been measured with the CBELSA/TAPS detector system in coincidence with protons registered in the MiniTAPS forward array. Structures in the total energy distribution of the $\pi^0 \gamma$ pairs, which would indicate the population and decay of bound $\omega~^{11}$B states, are not observed. The $\pi^0 \gamma$ cross section of 0.3 nb/MeV/sr observed in the bound state energy regime between -100 and 0 MeV may be accounted for by yield leaking into the bound state regime because of the large in-medium width of the $\omega$-meson. A comparison of the measured total energy distribution with calculations suggests the real part $V_0$ of the $\omega~^{11}$B potential to be small and only weakly attractive with $V_0(\rho=\rho_0) = -15\pm$ 35(stat) $\pm$20(syst) MeV in contrast to some theoretical predictions of attractive potentials with a depth of 100 - 150 MeV., Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures

The excitation function and momentum distribution of $\eta^\prime$ mesons have been measured in photon induced reactions on $^{12}{}$C in the energy range of 1250-2600 MeV. The experiment was performed with tagged photon beams from the ELSA electron accelerator using the Crystal Barrel and TAPS detectors. The data are compared to model calculations to extract information on the sign and magnitude of the real part of the $\eta^\prime$-nucleus potential. Within the model, the comparison indicates an attractive potential of -($37 \pm 10(stat)\pm10(syst)$) MeV depth at normal nuclear matter density. Since the modulus of this depth is larger than the modulus of the imaginary part of the $\eta^\prime$-nucleus potential of -($10\pm2.5$) MeV, determined by transparency ratio measurements, a search for resolved $\eta^\prime$-bound states appears promising., Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures

The photoproduction of $\omega$ and $\eta^\prime$ mesons off carbon and niobium nuclei has been measured as a function of the meson momentum for incident photon energies of 1.2-2.9 GeV at the electron accelerator ELSA. The mesons have been identified via the $\omega \rightarrow \pi^0 \gamma \rightarrow 3 \gamma$ and $\eta^\prime\rightarrow \pi^0 \pi^0\eta \rightarrow 6 \gamma$ decays, respectively, registered with the CBELSA/TAPS detector system. From the measured meson momentum distributions the momentum dependence of the transparency ratio has been determined for both mesons. Within a Glauber analysis the in-medium $\omega$ and $\eta^\prime$ widths and the corresponding absorption cross sections have been deduced as a function of the meson momentum. The results are compared to recent theoretical predictions for the in-medium $\omega$ width and $\eta^\prime$-N absorption cross sections. The energy dependence of the imaginary part of the $\omega$- and $\eta^\prime$-nucleus optical potential has been extracted. The finer binning of the present data compared to the existing data allows a more reliable extrapolation towards the production threshold. The modulus of the imaginary part of the $\eta^\prime$ nucleus potential is found to be about three times smaller than recently determined values of the real part of the $\eta^\prime$-nucleus potential, which makes the $\eta^\prime$ meson a suitable candidate for the search for meson-nucleus bound states. For the $\omega$ meson, the modulus of the imaginary part near threshold is comparable to the modulus of the real part of the potential. As a consequence, only broad structures can be expected which makes the observation of $\omega$ mesic states very difficult experimentally., Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures

The excitation function and momentum distribution of {\eta}' mesons have been measured in photoproduction off 93^Nb in the energy range of 1.2-2.9 GeV. The experiment has been performed with the combined Crystal Barrel and MiniTAPS detector system, using tagged photon beams from the ELSA electron accelerator. Information on the sign and magnitude of the real part of the {\eta}'-Nb potential has been extracted from a comparison of the data with model calculations. An attractive potential of -(41 \pm 10(stat) \pm 15(syst)) MeV depth at normal nuclear matter density is deduced within model uncertainties. This value is consistent with the potential depth of -(37 \pm 10(stat) \pm 10(syst)) MeV obtained in an earlier measurement for a light nucleus (carbon). This relatively shallow {\eta}'-nucleus potential will make the search for {\eta}'-nucleus bound states more difficult., Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures

This paper reports on a measurement of the double-polarization observable G in $\pi^0$ photoproduction off the proton using the CBELSA/TAPS experiment at the ELSA accelerator in Bonn. The observable G is determined from reactions of linearly-polarized photons with longitudinally-polarized protons. The polarized photons are produced by bremsstrahlung off a properly oriented diamond radiator. A frozen spin butanol target provides the polarized protons. The data cover the photon energy range from 617 to 1325 MeV and a wide angular range. The experimental results for G are compared to predictions by the Bonn-Gatchina (BnGa), J\"ulich-Bonn (J\"uBo), MAID and SAID partial wave analyses. Implications of the new data for the pion photoproduction multipoles are discussed.

The photoproduction of η ′ -mesons off different nuclei has been measured with the CBELSA/TAPS detector system for incident photon energies between 1500–2200 MeV. The transparency ratio has been deduced and compared to theoretical calculations describing the propagation of η ′ -mesons in nuclei. The comparison indicates a width of the η ′ -meson of the order of Γ = 15 – 25 MeV at ρ = ρ 0 for an average momentum p η ′ = 1050 MeV / c , at which the η ′ -meson is produced in the nuclear rest frame. The inelastic η ′ N cross section is estimated to be 3–10 mb. Parameterizing the photoproduction cross section of η ′ -mesons by σ ( A ) = σ 0 A α , a value of α = 0.84 ± 0.03 has been deduced.

Photoproduction of two neutral pions off the proton is studied using linearly polarized photons, and the polarization observables Is and Ic are measured for the first time. These two observables are unique to multi-meson final states; they characterize correlations between the linear photon polarization and the direction of outgoing single particles in photoproduction of three-body final states. The Is and Ic distributions suggest that, in the 1.8 to 2.0 GeV mass region, the N(1520)3/2−π intermediate state is reached with reaction dynamics consistent with a dominant JP=3/2+ wave. These data are included in the Bonn–Gatchina (BnGa) partial wave analysis which is based on a large variety of data; the analysis confirms a significant contribution from the reaction chain γp→N(1900)3/2+→N(1520)3/2−π0→pπ0π0. Keywords: Baryon spectroscopy, Double meson photoproduction, Polarization observables

The N pi(0)pi(0) decays of positive-parity N* and Delta* resonances at about 2 GeV are studied at ELSA by photoproduction of two neutral pions off protons. The data reveal clear evidence for several intermediate resonances: Delta(1232), N(1520)3/2(-), and N(1680)5/2(+), with spin parities J(P) = 3/2(+), 3/2(-), and 5/2(+). The partial wave analysis (within the Bonn-Gatchina approach) identifies N(1440)1/2(+) and the N(pi pi)s (wave) (abbreviated as N sigma here) as further isobars and assigns the final states to the formation of nucleon and Delta resonances and to nonresonant contributions. We observe the know Delta(1232)pi decays of Delta(1910)1/2(+), Delta(1920)3/2(+), Delta(1905)5/2(+), Delta(1950)7/2(+), and of the corresponding spin-parity series in the nucleon sector, N(1880)1/2(+), N(1900)3/2(+), N(2000)5/2(+), and N(1990)7/2(+). For the nucleon resonances, these decay modes are reported here for the first time. Further new decay modes proceed via N(1440)1/2(pi)(+), N(1520)3/2(pi)(-) , N(1680)5/2(pi)(+), and N sigma. The latter decay modes are observed in the decay of N* resonances and at most weakly in Delta(*) decays. It is argued that these decay modes provide evidence for a 3-quark nature of N* resonances rather than a quark-diquark structure.

Omega photoproduction off hydrogen and deuterium has been studied with the tagged photon beam of the ELSA accelerator in Bonn for photon energies up to 2.0 GeV. The omega meson has been identified via the omega -> pi(0) gamma -> gamma gamma gamma decay mode, using the combined setup of the Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector systems. Both inclusive and exclusive analyses have been carried out. Differential and total cross-sections have been derived for omega mesons produced off free protons and off protons and neutrons bound in deuterium. The cross-section for the production off the bound neutron is found to be a factor of a parts per thousand 1.3 larger than the one off the bound proton in the incident beam energy region 1.2 GeV

Photoproduction off protons of the pπ 0 η three-body final state was studied with the Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector, at the electron stretcher accelerator ELSA in Bonn, for incident energies from the π 0 η production threshold up to 2.5 GeV. Differential cross sections and the total cross sections are presented. The use of linearly polarized photons gives access to the polarization observables Σ, I s , and I c , the latter two characterize beam asymmetries in case of three-body final states. Δ(1232)η, N(1535)1/2− π, and pa 0(980) are the dominant isobars contributing to the reaction. The partial wave analysis confirms the existence of some nucleon and Δ resonances, for which so far only fair evidence was reported. A large number of decay modes of known nucleon and Δ resonances is presented. It is shown that detailed investigations of decay branching ratios may provide a key to unravelling the structure of nucleon and Δ resonances.

The first measurement of the helicity dependence of the photoproduction cross section of single neutral pions off protons is reported for photon energies from 600 to 2300 MeV, covering nearly the full solid angle. The data are compared to predictions from the SAID, MAID, and BnGa partial wave analyses. Strikingly large differences between data and predictions are observed, which are traced to differences in the helicity amplitudes of well-known and established resonances. Precise values for the helicity amplitudes of several resonances are reported.

The first measurement is reported of the double-polarization observable G in photoproduction of neutral pions off protons, covering the photon energy range from 620 to 1120 MeV and the full solid angle. G describes the correlation between the photon polarization plane and the scattering plane for protons polarized along the direction of the incoming photon. The observable is highly sensitive to contributions from baryon resonances. The new results are compared to the predictions from SAID, MAID, and BnGa partial wave analyses. In spite of the long-lasting efforts to understand {\gamma}p -> p{\pi} 0 as the simplest photoproduction reaction, surprisingly large differences between the new data and the latest predictions are observed which are traced to different contributions of the N (1535) with spin-parity J^P = 1/2^- and N (1520) with J^P = 3/2^- . In the third resonance region, where N (1680) with J^P = 5/2^+ production dominates, the new data are reasonably close to the predictions., Comment: Submitted for publication in PRL

Precise data for quasi-free photoproduction of $\eta$ mesons off the deuteron have been measured at the Bonn ELSA accelerator with the combined Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector for incident photon energies up to 2.5 GeV. The $\eta$-mesons have been detected in coincidence with recoil protons and neutrons. Possible nuclear effects like Fermi motion and re-scattering can be studied via a comparison of the quasi-free reaction off the bound proton to $\eta$-production off the free proton. No significant effects beyond the folding of the free cross section with the momentum distribution of the bound protons have been found. These Fermi motion effects can be removed by an analysis using the invariant mass of the $\eta$-nucleon pairs reconstructed from the final state four-momenta of the particles. The total cross section for quasi-free $\eta$-photoproduction off the neutron reveals even without correction for Fermi motion a pronounced bump-like structure around 1 GeV of incident photon energy, which is not observed for the proton. This structure is even narrower in the invariant mass spectrum of the $\eta$-neutron pairs. Position and width of the peak in the invariant mass spectrum are $W\approx 1665$ MeV and FWHM $\Gamma\approx 25$ MeV. The data are compared to the results of different models., Comment: accepted for publication in Eur. Phys. J. A

Total and differential cross sections for eta and eta(')photoproduction off the proton have been determined with the CBELSA/TAPS detector for photon energies between 0.85 and 2.55 GeV. The eta mesons are detected in their two neutral decay modes, eta ->gamma gamma and eta -> 3 pi(0)-> 6 gamma, and for the first time, cover the full angular range in cos theta(c.m.) of the eta meson. These new eta photoproduction data are consistent with the earlier CB-ELSA results. The eta(') mesons are observed in their neutral decay to pi(0)pi(0)eta -> 6 gamma and also extend the coverage in angular range.

The photoproduction of {omega} mesons off protons has been studied at the Bonn ELSA accelerator from threshold to E{sub {gamma}}=1700 MeV. Linearly polarized beams were produced via coherent bremsstrahlung. Large photon asymmetries in excess of 50% were obtained. For the first time the pion asymmetries associated with the {omega}{yields}{pi}{sup 0}{gamma} decay were measured and found close to zero. The asymmetries indicate s-channel resonance formation on top of t-channel exchange processes.

Precise data for quasi-free photoproduction of η-mesons off the deuteron have been measured at the Bonn ELSA accelerator with the combined Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector for incident photon energies up to 2.5GeV. The η-mesons have been detected in coincidence with recoil protons and neutrons. Possible nuclear effects like Fermi motion and re-scattering can be studied via a comparison of the quasi-free reaction off the bound proton to η-production off the free proton. No significant effects beyond the folding of the free cross-section with the momentum distribution of the bound protons have been found. These Fermi motion effects can be removed by an analysis using the invariant mass of the η-nucleon pairs reconstructed from the final-state four-momenta of the particles. The total cross-section for quasi-free η-photoproduction off the neutron reveals even without correction for Fermi motion a pronounced bump-like structure around 1GeV of incident photon energy, which is not observed for the proton. This structure is even narrower in the invariant-mass spectrum of the η-neutron pairs. Position and width of the peak in the invariant-mass spectrum are W ≈ 1665 MeV and FWHM Γ ≈ 25 MeV. The data are compared to the results of different models.

The photo production of $\omega$ mesons on the nuclei C, Ca, Nb and Pb has been measured using the Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector at the ELSA tagged photon facility in Bonn. The dependence of the $\omega$ meson cross section on the nuclear mass number has been compared with three different types of models, a Glauber analysis, a BUU analysis of the Giessen theory group and a calculation by the Valencia theory group. In all three cases, the inelastic $\omega$ width is found to be $130-150 \rm{MeV/c^2}$ at normal nuclear matter density for an average 3-momentum of 1.1 GeV/c. In the restframe of the $\omega$ meson, this inelastic $\omega$ width corresponds to a reduction of the $\omega$ lifetime by a factor $\approx 30$. For the first time, the momentum dependent $\omega$N cross section has been extracted from the experiment and is in the range of 70 mb., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

The photoproduction of omega mesons on nuclei has been investigated using the Crystal Barrel/TAPS experiment at the ELSA tagged photon facility in Bonn. The aim is to study possible in-medium modifications of the omega meson via the reaction gamma+A