Search

Nucleon to Resonance transition form factors are discussed within the MAID model for pion electroproduction on the nucleon. For low \(Q^2\) the consequences of Siegert’s theorem are presented and medium to large violations of the Long Wavelength Limit at the pseudo-threshold are observed for the phenomenological parametrizations of the longitudinal transition form factors of different nucleon resonances.

The MAID project is a collection of theoretical models for pseudoscalar meson photo- and electroproduction from nucleons. It is online available and produces results in real time calculations. In addition to kinematical variables also model parameters, especially for baryon resonances, can be online changed and investigated. Over 20 years MAID has become quite popular and the MAID web pages have been called more than 7.7 million times., 11 pages, 7 figurs, Proc. of NSTAR2017, Columbia, SC

A phenomenological analysis of $\eta$ and $\eta'$ photoproduction on the protons and the neutrons with EtaMAID model is presented. The model includes 23 nucleon resonances parameterized by Breit-Wigner functions with energy dependent widths. At high energies, $W > 3$ GeV, Regge cut phenomenology was applied with vector and axial-vector meson exchanges in the $t$ channel. In the resonance region, low partial waves with L up to 4 were subtracted from the $t$-channel contribution. Parameters of the resonances were obtained from a fit to available experimental data. The nature of the most interesting observations in the data is discussed.

The isobar model EtaMAID has been updated with new and high precision data for eta and etaprime photoproduction on protons and neutrons from MAMI, ELSA, GRAAL and CLAS. The background is described in a recently developed Regge-cut model, and for the resonance part the whole list of nucleon resonances has been investigated with 21 N* states contributing to eta photoproduction and 12 N* states contributing to etaprime photoproduction. A new approach is discussed to avoid double counting in the overlap region of Regge and resonances. A comparison is done among four newly updated partial waves analyses for observables and partial waves. Finally, the possibility of a narrow resonance near W=1900 MeV is discussed, that would be able to explain unexpected energy and angular dependence of observables in p(gamma,etaprime)p near etaprime threshold., Comment: 31 pages, 29 figures, replaced with revised version

Unconstrained partial-wave amplitudes obtained at discrete energies from fits to complete sets of eight independent observables which are required to uniquely reconstruct reaction amplitudes do not vary smoothly with energy, and are in principle non-unique. We demonstrate how this behavior can be ascribed to the continuum ambiguity. Starting from the spinless scattering case, we demonstrate how an unknown overall phase depending on energy and angle mixes the structures seen in the associated partial-wave amplitudes making the partial wave decomposition non-unique, and illustrate it on a simple toy model. We then apply these principles to pseudo-scalar meson photoproduction and show that the non-uniqueness effect can be removed through a phase rotation generating "up-to-a-phase" unique set of SE partial wave amplitudes. Extracting pole positions from partial wave amplitudes is the next step. Up to now, there was no reliable way to extract pole parameters from SE partial waves, but a new and simple single-channel method (Laurent + Pietarinen expansion) applicable for continuous and discrete data has been recently developed. It is based on applying the Laurent decomposition of partial wave amplitude, and expanding the nonresonant background into a power series of a conformal-mapping, quickly converging power series obtaining the simplest analytic function with well-defined partial wave analytic properties which fits the input. The generalization of this method to multi- channel case is also developed and presented. Unifying both methods in succession, one constructs a model independent procedure to extract pole parameters directly from experimental data without referring to any theoretical model., This article belongs to the Topical Collection "NSTAR2017 - The International Workshop on the Physics of Excited Nucleons". arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1706.03211

Polarisation-dependent differential cross sections σ T associated with the target asymmetry T have been measured for the reaction γ p → → p π 0 with transverse target polarisation from π 0 threshold to photon energies of 190 MeV. The data were obtained using a frozen-spin butanol target with the Crystal Ball / TAPS detector set-up and the Glasgow photon tagging system at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. Results for σ T have been used in combination with our previous measurements of the unpolarised cross section σ 0 and the beam asymmetry Σ for a model-independent determination of S- and P-wave multipoles in the π 0 threshold region, which includes for the first time a direct determination of the imaginary part of the E 0 + multipole.

We discuss the extended on-mass-shell scheme for manifestly Lorentz-invariant baryon chiral perturbation theory. We present a calculation of pion photo- and electroproduction up to and including order q 4 . The low-energy constants have been fixed by fitting experimental data in all available reaction channels. Our results can be accessed via a web interface, the so-called chiral MAID (http://www.kph.uni-mainz.de/MAID/chiralmaid/). We explain how our program works and how it can be used for further analysis.

We discuss the extended on-mass-shell scheme for manifestly Lorentz-invariant baryon chiral perturbation theory. We present a calculation of pion photo- and electroproduction up to and including order $q^4$. The low-energy constants have been fixed by fitting experimental data in all available reaction channels. Our results can be accessed via a web interface, the so-called chiral MAID (http://www.kph.uni-mainz.de/MAID/chiralmaid/). We explain how our program works and how it can be used for further analysis., Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, invited plenary talk given by S. Scherer at the 8th International Workshop on Chiral Dynamics, CD2015, 29 June 2015 - 03 July 2015, Pisa, Italy, draws on arXiv:1510.04602 [nucl-th]

The unitary isobar model MAID2007 has been used to analyze the recent data of pion electroproduction. The model contains all four-star resonances in the region below W=2 GeV and both single-Q^2 and Q^2 dependent transition form factors could be obtained for the Delta, Roper, D13(1520), S11(1535), S31(1620), S11(1650), D15(1675), F15(1680) and P13(1720). From the complete world data base, including also pi- data on the neutron, also Q^2 dependent neutron form factors are obtained. For all transition form factors we also give convenient numerical parameterizations that can be used in other reactions. Furthermore, we show how the transition form factors can be used to obtain empirical transverse charge densities and our first results are given for the Roper, the S11 and D13 resonances., Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables, Proc. of NSTAR2009, Beijing

Using recent experimental data, we analyze the electromagnetic transition from the nucleon to the P 11 ( 1440 ) resonance. From the resulting empirical transition form factors, we map out the quark transverse charge densities which induce the N → P 11 ( 1440 ) transition. It is found that the transition from the proton to its first radially excited state is dominated by up quarks in a central region of around 0.5 fm and by down quarks in an outer band which extends up to about 1 fm.

The physical meaning of bare and dressed scattering matrix singularities has been investigated. Special attention has been attributed to the role of well known invariance of scattering matrix with respect to the field transformation of the effective Lagrangian. Examples of evaluating bare and dressed quantities in various models are given.

The invariant amplitudes for pion electroproduction on the nucleon are evaluated by dispersion relations at constant t with MAID as input for the imaginary parts of these amplitudes. In the threshold region these amplitudes are confronted with the predictions of several low-energy theorems derived in the soft-pion limit. In general agreement with Chiral Perturbation Theory, the dispersive approach yields large corrections to these theorems because of the finite pion mass., Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures

The isobar models η-MAID and η′-MAID have been used to analyze new data on quasi-free η photoproduction on the deuteron from Bonn and recent η′ data on the proton from Jlab. In η photoproduction on the neutron a bump around W = 1700 MeV was observed which could possibly arise from a narrow P11 state that is discussed as a non-strange member of the Θ+ antidecuplett. In η′ photoproduction on the proton resonance contributions are found that can be attributed to missing resonances in the energy region around W = 1900 MeV .

A high-quality double-polarization data set for the helicity dependence of the total and differential cross-sections for both gammap --> Npi channels in the Delta region has been obtained in the framework of the GDH experiment. The experiment, performed at the Mainz microtron MAMI, used a 4pi detection system, a circularly polarized photon beam, and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target. These data are included in the database to perform a multipole analysis to determine the properties of the Delta(1232)-resonance. For the resonant Delta(1232) multipoles we find a very good agreement with previous analyses, while the nonresonant ones show significant deviations.

We have applied a new approach to determine the pole positions and residues from pion photoproduction multipoles. The method is based on a Laurent expansion of the partial wave T-matrices, with a Pietarinen series representing the regular part of energy-dependent and single-energy photoproduction solutions. The method has been applied to multipole fits generated by the MAID and GWU/SAID groups. We show that the number and properties of poles extracted from photoproduction data correspond very well to results from $\pi$N elastic data and values cited by Particle Data Group (PDG). The photoproduction residues provide new information for the electromagnetic current at the pole position, which are independent of background parameterizations, as opposed to the Breit-Wigner representation. Finally, we present the photo-decay amplitudes from the current MAID and SAID solutions at the pole, for all four-star nucleon resonances below W=2 GeV., Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures, 9 tables. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1401.1947

We present a calculation of pion photo- and electroproduction in manifestly Lorentz-invariant baryon chiral perturbation theory up to and including order q^4. We fix the low-energy constants by fitting experimental data in all available reaction channels. Our results can be accessed via a web interface, the so-called chiral MAID., 4 pages with 3 figures. Contribution to the 13th International Conference on Meson-Nucleon Physics and the Structure of the Nucleon (MENU 2013), Rome, Sep 30 - Oct 4, 2013

We present new data for the transverse target asymmetry T and the very first data for the beam-target asymmetry F in the $\vec \gamma \vec p\to\eta p$ reaction up to a center-of-mass energy of W=1.9 GeV. The data were obtained with the Crystal-Ball/TAPS detector setup at the Glasgow tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI. All existing model predictions fail to reproduce the new data indicating a significant impact on our understanding of the underlying dynamics of $\eta$ meson photoproduction. The peculiar nodal structure observed in existing T data close to threshold is not confirmed., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in PRL

Generalized nucleon polarizabilities for virtual photons can be defined in terms of electroproduction cross sections as function of the 4-momentum transfer $Q^2$. In particular, the sum of the generalized electric and magnetic polarizabilities $\Sigma=\alpha+\beta$ and the spin polarizability $\gamma$ can be expressed by virtual photon absorption cross sections integrated over the excitation energy. These quantities have been calculated within the framework of the recently developed unitary isobar model for pion photo- and electroproduction on the proton, which describes the available experimental data up to an excitation energy of about 1 GeV. Our results have been compared to the predictions of chiral perturbation theory., Comment: 21 pages, latex, 14 figures

A new operator for pion photo- and electroproduction has been developed for nuclear applications at photon equivalent energies up to 1 GeV. The model contains Born terms, vector mesons and nucleon resonances ($P_{33}(1232)$, $P_{11}(1440)$, $D_{13}(1520)$, $S_{11}(1535)$, $F_{15}(1680)$, and $D_{33}(1700)$). The resonance contributions are included taking into account unitarity to provide the correct phases of the pion photoproduction multipoles. The $Q^2$ dependence of electromagnetic resonance vertices is described with appropriate form factors in the electromagnetic helicity amplitudes. Within this model we have obtained good agreement with the experimental data for pion photo- and electroproduction on the nucleon for both differential cross sections and polarization observables. The model can be used as a starting point to predict and analyze forthcoming data., 32 pages LaTeX including 23 postscript figures (a few misprints have been corrected)

In the framework of the impulse approximation we study the photoproduction of the hypertriton $^3_{\Lambda}$H by using realistic $^3$He wave functions obtained as solutions of Faddeev equations with the Reid soft-core potential for different $^3_{\Lambda}$H wave functions. We obtain relatively small cross sections of the order of 1 nb. We also find that the influence of Fermi motion is important, while the effect of different off-shell assumptions on the cross section is not too significant., Comment: 6 pages in Latex. Talk given at the 15th International Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics, Groningen, Netherlands, 22-26 July 1997. To be published in Nucl. Phys. A

We present a calculation of $\pi^0$ photoproduction on the proton in manifestly Lorentz-invariant baryon chiral perturbation theory up to and including chiral order $q^4$. With the results we analyze the latest $\pi^0$ photoproduction data in the threshold region obtained at the Mainz Microtron. In the calculation of observables and the fit of the low-energy constants, we take $S$, $P$, and $D$ waves into account. We compare the results for the multipoles with the corresponding single-energy analysis. Furthermore, we also fit the $O(q^4)$ heavy-baryon chiral perturbation theory calculation and compare both results. We provide predictions for several polarization observables for future experiments. Finally, we discuss the $\beta$ parameter of the unitarity cusp which is related to the breaking of isospin symmetry., Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures

We present a new approach to quantifying pole parameters of single-channel processes based on a Laurent expansion of partial-wave T matrices in the vicinity of the real axis. Instead of using the conventional power-series description of the nonsingular part of the Laurent expansion, we represent this part by a convergent series of Pietarinen functions. As the analytic structure of the nonsingular part is usually very well known (physical cuts with branch points at inelastic thresholds, and unphysical cuts in the negative energy plane), we find that one Pietarinen series per cut represents the analytic structure fairly reliably. The number of terms in each Pietarinen series is determined by the quality of the fit. The method is tested in two ways: on a toy model constructed from two known poles, various background terms, and two physical cuts, and on several sets of realistic πN elastic energy-dependent partial-wave amplitudes (GWU/SAID [Arndt et al., Phys. Rev. C 74, 045205 (2006) ; Workman et al., Phys. Rev. C 86, 035202 (2012)], and Dubna-Mainz-Taipei [Chen et al., Phys. Rev. C 76, 035206 (2007) ; Tiator et al., Phys. Rev. C 82, 055203 (2010)]).We show that the method is robust and confident using up to three Pietarinen series, and is particularly convenient in fits to amplitudes, such as single-energy solutions, coming more directly from experiment: cases where the analytic structure of the regular part is a priori unknown.

We present a theoretical approach to the internal baryon structure based on three-body forces among quarks. Using three-body potentials, one can both include the current two-body potential models (in an effective way) and investigate new dynamical mechanisms. The spin-independent part of the interaction is assumed to be hypercentral and treated using the hyperspherical harmonic formalism, leading to a level scheme reproducing qualitatively the observed pattern of the spectrum. We discuss some results obtained using a potential with a (mostly linear) confinement part and some inverse power terms; however the potential can be easily generalized in order to allow a systematic analysis. Adding the hyperfine interaction, which is diagonalized directly in the basis states, the spectrum can be fairly reproduced. The compatibility of the spectrum and the change form factor is briefly discussed.

Amplitude and partial wave analyses for pion, eta or kaon photoproduction are discussed in the context of `complete experiments'. It is shown that the model-independent helicity amplitudes obtained from at least 8 polarization observables including beam, target and recoil polarization can not be used to determine underlying resonance parameters. However, a truncated partial wave analysis, which theoretically requires only 5 observables will be possible with minimal model input., Comment: Proc. of NSTAR2011, 6 pages, 1 figure

Longitudinal and transverse transition form factors for most of the four-star nucleon resonances have been obtained from high-quality cross section data and polarization observables measured at MAMI, ELSA, BATES, GRAAL and CEBAF. As an application, we further show how the transition form factors can be used to obtain empirical transverse charge densities. Contour plots of the thus derived densities are shown and compared for the Roper and S11 nucleon resonances., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of CIPANP 2012

Model dependence of multipole analysis has been explored through energy-dependent and single-energy fits to pion photoproduction data. The MAID energy-dependent solution has been used as input for an event generator producing realistic pseudo data. These were fitted using the SAID parametrization approach to determine single-energy and energy-dependent solutions over a range of lab photon energies from 200 to 1200 MeV. The resulting solutions were found to be consistent with the input amplitudes from MAID. Fits with a $\chi$-squared per datum of unity or less were generally achieved. We discuss energy regions where consistent results are expected, and explore the sensitivity of fits to the number of included single- and double-polarization observables. The influence of Watson's theorem is examined in detail., Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures

A new generation of complete experiments in pseudoscalar meson photo-production is being pursued at several laboratories. While new data are emerging, there is some confusion regarding definitions of asymmetries and the conventions used in partial wave analyses (PWA). We present expressions for constructing asymmetries as coordinate-system independent ratios of cross sections, along with the names used for these ratios by different PWA groups. (This update reflects a recent change in the definition of an asymmetry as used by one group.), Comment: v2: This update reflects a recent change in the definition of an asymmetry as used by one PWA group -see Table 1. v1: 4 pages. Contribution to the proceedings of the 8th International Workshop on the Physics of Excited Nucleons (NSTAR2011), Newport News, VA, USA, May 17-20, 2011

The complex-mass scheme (CMS) provides a consistent framework for dealing with unstable particles in quantum field theory and has been successfully applied to various loop calculations. As applications of the CMS in chiral effective field theory we consider the form factor of the pion in the time-like region and the magnetic moment of the Roper resonance., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, contribution to the workshop NSTAR 2011

For pseudoscalar meson electroproduction off the nucleon in parallel kinematics a relation between three polarization observables is derived. It is shown that, without Rosenbluth separation, a measurement of the longitudinal strength can be achieved through three different ways. They are discussed with preliminary MAMI data for the p(\vec e, e'\vec p)\pi^0 reaction in the energy range of the Delta(1232) resonance., Comment: 3 pages LATEX including 1 postscript figure, corrected typos

The energy spectra of positive pions from the reaction 12C(γ, π+)12B∗ were measured at five angles, using quasi-monochromatic, tagged photons in the energy range from 176 to 182 MeV. Strong transitions to the isovector nuclear states in 12B at 0–1, 4.5, and 7.5 MeV were observed. The differential cross sections to these states have been obtained for the momentum transfers 0.5 < q < 1.2 fm−1. DWIA calculations have been carried out in momentum space for each observed state or group of states. Comparisons are made between the present data, previous data from bremsstrahlung experiments, and various DWIA calculations.

The relativistic amplitudes of pion photo- and electroproduction are calculated by dispersion relations at constant t. Several sum rules and low-energy theorems for the threshold amplitudes are investigated within this technique. The continuation of the amplitudes to sub-threshold kinematics is shown to provide a unique framework to derive the low-energy constants of chiral perturbation theory by global properties of the excitation spectrum., 18 pages, 10 figures, Proc. Yang Fest, Taipei, June 2007

The unitary isobar model MAID2007 has been developed to analyze the world data of pion photo- and electroproduction. The model contains both a common background and several resonance terms. The background is unitarized according to the K-matrix prescription, and the 13 four-star resonances with masses below 2 GeV are described by appropriately unitarized Breit-Wigner forms. The data have been analyzed by both single-energy and global fits, and the transverse and longitudinal helicity amplitudes have been extracted for the four-star resonances below 2 GeV. Because of its inherent simplicity, MAID2007 is well adopted for predictions and analysis of the observables in pion photo- and electroproduction., Comment: 32 pages including 13 tables and 24 figures

The relativistic amplitudes of pion photoproduction are evaluated by dispersion relations at t=const. The imaginary parts of the amplitudes are taken from the MAID model covering the absorption spectrum up to center-of-mass energies W = 2.2 GeV. For sub-threshold kinematics the amplitudes are expanded in powers of the two independent variables \nu and t related to energy and momentum transfer. Subtracting the loop corrections from this power series allows one to determine the counter terms of covariant baryon chiral perturbation theory. The proposed continuation of the amplitudes into the unphysical region provides a unique framework to derive the low-energy constants to any given order as well as an estimate of the higher order terms by global properties of the absorption spectrum., Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables

MAID is a unitary isobar model for a partial wave analysis of pion photo- and electroproduction in the resonance region. It is fitted to the world data and can give predictions for multipoles, amplitudes, cross sections and polarization observables in the energy range from pion threshold up to W=2 GeV and photon virtualities Q^2 < 5 GeV^2. Using more recent experimental results from Mainz, Bates, Bonn and JLab for Q^2 up to 4.0 GeV^2, the Q^2 dependence of the helicity couplings A_{1/2}, A_{3/2}, S_{1/2} has been extracted for a series of four star resonances. We compare single-Q^2 analyses with a superglobal fit in a new parametrization of Maid2005. Besides the (pion) MAID, at Mainz we maintain a collection of online programs for partial wave analysis of eta, eta' and kaon photo- and electroproduction which are all based on similar footings with field theoretical background and baryon excitations in Breit-Wigner form., 10 pages, 3 figurs, 2 tables, Proc. of NSTAR2005, Tallahassee, FL, USA

The Fubini-Furlan-Rossetti sum rule for pion photoproduction on the nucleon is evaluated by dispersion relations at constant t, and the corrections to the sum rule due to the finite pion mass are calculated. Near threshold these corrections turn out to be large due to pion-loop effects, whereas the sum rule value is closely approached if the dispersion integrals are evaluated for sub-threshold kinematics. This extension to the unphysical region provides a unique framework to determine the low-energy constants of chiral perturbation theory by global properties of the excitation spectrum., 12 pages, 7 postscript figures, EPJ style files included

The Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule is one of several dispersive sum rules that connect the Compton scattering amplitudes to the inclusive photoproduction cross sections of the target under investigation. Being based on such universal principles as causality, unitarity, and gauge invariance, these sum rules provide a unique testing ground to study the internal degrees of freedom that hold the system together. The present article reviews these sum rules for the spin-dependent cross sections of the nucleon by presenting an overview of recent experiments and theoretical approaches. The generalization from real to virtual photons provides a microscope of variable resolution: At small virtuality of the photon, the data sample information about the long range phenomena, which are described by effective degrees of freedom (Goldstone bosons and collective resonances), whereas the primary degrees of freedom (quarks and gluons) become visible at the larger virtualities. Through a rich body of new data and several theoretical developments, a unified picture of virtual Compton scattering emerges, which ranges from coherent to incoherent processes, and from the generalized spin polarizabilities on the low-energy side to higher twist effects in deep inelastic lepton scattering., 32 pages, 19 figures, review article

The unitary isobar model MAID has been extended and used for a partial wave analysis of pion photo- and electroproduction in the resonance region W < 2 GeV. Older data from the world data base and more recent experimental results from Mainz, Bates, Bonn and JLab for Q^2 up to 4.0 (GeV/c)^2 have been analyzed and the Q^2 dependence of the helicity amplitudes have been extracted for a series of four star resonances. We compare single-Q^2 analyses with a superglobal fit in a new parametrization of Maid2003 together with predictions of the hypercentral constituent quark model. As a result we find that the helicity amplitudes and transition form factors of constituent quark models should be compared with the analysis of bare resonances, where the pion cloud contributions have been subtracted., 6 pages Latex including 5 figures, Invited talk at ICTP 4th International Conference on Perspectives in Hadronic Physics, Trieste, Italy, 12-16 May 2003

A self-consistent analysis of pion scattering and pion photoproduction within a coupled channels dynamical model is presented. In the case of pion photoproduction, we obtain background contributions to the imaginary part of the S-wave multipole which differ considerably from the result based on the K-matrix approximation. Within the dynamical model these background contributions become large and negative in the region of the S_{11}(1535) resonance. Due to this fact much larger resonance contributions are required in order to explain the results of the recent multipole analyses. For the first S_{11}(1535) resonance we obtain as a value of the dressed electromagnetic helicity amplitude: A_{1/2}=(72 +/- 2) * 10^{-3} GeV^{-1/2}. Similar values can be derived from eta photoproduction if one takes the same total width Gamma_R=95 +/- 5 MeV) as in pion scattering and pion photoproduction. The combined analysis yields considerable strength at invariant mass W>1750 MeV, which can be explained by a third and a fourth S_{11} resonance with the masses 1846 +/- 47 and 2113 +/- 70 MeV., 15 pages LATEX including 7 tables and 7 figures, revised version

The helicity dependence of the $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{p}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ reaction has been measured for the first time in the photon-energy range from 550 to 790 MeV. The experiment, performed at the Mainz microtron MAMI, used a $4\ensuremath{\pi}$-detector system, a circularly polarized, tagged photon beam, and a longitudinally polarized frozen-spin target. These data are predominantly sensitive to the ${D}_{13}(1520)$ resonance and are used to determine its helicity amplitudes.

Recent JLab data of the differential cross section for the reaction ${p(e,e}^{\ensuremath{'}}p){\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ in the invariant mass region of $1.1lWl1.4 \mathrm{GeV}$ at four-momentum transfer squared ${Q}^{2}=2.8$ and $4.0 (\mathrm{GeV}{/c)}^{2}$ are analyzed with two models, both of which give an excellent description of most of the existing pion electroproduction data below $Wl1.5 \mathrm{GeV}.$ We find that at up to ${Q}^{2}=4.0 (\mathrm{GeV}{/c)}^{2},$ the extracted helicity amplitudes ${A}_{3/2}$ and ${A}_{/2}$ remain comparable with each other, implying that hadronic helicity is not conserved at this range of ${Q}^{2}.$ The ratios ${E}_{1+}{/M}_{1+}$ obtained show, starting from a small and negative value at the real photon point, a clear tendency to cross zero, and to become positive with increasing ${Q}^{2}.$ This is a possible indication of a very slow approach toward the pQCD region. Furthermore, we find that the bare helicity amplitude ${A}_{1/2}$ and ${S}_{1/2},$ but not ${A}_{3/2},$ starts exhibiting the scaling behavior at about ${Q}^{2}g~2.5(\mathrm{GeV}{/c)}^{2}.$

We have fitted low- and medium-energy benchmark datasets employing methods used in the MAID/SAID and dynamical model analyses. Independent fits from the Mainz, RPI, Yerevan, and Kharkov groups have also been performed over the low-energy region. Results for the multipole amplitudes are compared in order to gauge the model-dependence of such fits, given identical data and a single method for error handling.

Eta photo- and electroproduction on the nucleon is studied using an isobar model. The model contains Born terms, and contributions from vector meson exchanges and nucleon resonances. Our results are compared with recent eta photoproduction data for differential and total cross sections, beam asymmetry, and target asymmetry, as well as electroproduction data. Besides the dominant S11(1535) resonance, we show that the second S11 resonance, S11(1650), is also necessary to be included in order to extract S11(1535) resonance parameters properly. In addition, the beam asymmetry data allow us to extract very small ( eta N decay branching ratios of the D13(1520) and F15(1680) resonances because of the overwhelming s-wave dominance. This model (ETA-MAID) is implemented as a part of the MAID program., 27 pages, 13 eps figures, uses elsart.cls and bm.sty, submitted to Nucl.Phys.A

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. A

We have analysed pion photoproduction imposing constraints from fixed t dispersion relations and unitarity. Coupled integral equations for the S and P wave multipoles were derived from the dispersion relations and solved by the method of Omnes and Muskhelishvili. The free parameters were determined by a fit to the most recent data for \pi^{+} and \pi^{0} production on the proton as well as \pi^{-} production on the neutron, in the energy We have analysed pion photoproduction imposing constraints from fixed t dispersion relations and unitarity. Coupled integral equations for the S and P wave multipoles were derived from the dispersion relations and solved by the method of Omnes and Muskhelishvili. The free parameters were determined by a fit to the most recent data for \pi^{+} and \pi^{0} production on the proton as well as \pi^{-} production on the neutron, in the energy range 160 MeV \leq E_{\gamma} \leq 420 MeV. The lack of high precision data on the neutron and of polarization observables leads to some limitations of our results. Especially the multipole M_{1-} connected with the Roper resonance P_{11}(1440) cannot be determined to the required precision. Our predictions for the threshold amplitudes are in good agreement with both the data and chiral perturbation theory. In the region of the \Delta(1232) we have determined the ratio of electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole excitation. The position of the resonance pole is obtained in excellent agreement with pion-nucleon scattering, and the complex residues of the multipoles are determined with the speed-plot technique., Comment: 46 pages LATEX including 29 postscript figures