Polarized cross-section measurements for the reaction π− p → ηn from 1171 to 2267 MeV/c and a partial-wave analysis of this reaction in the resonance region

Abstract Polarized cross sections for the reaction π − p → η n have been measured at 12 incident momenta between 1171 and 2267 MeV/ c . The data show that the polarization is small in the forward direction and there is a general trend for it to be large and positive near cos θ ∗ = 0.2 . These are the first published results on polarization effects in this channel in the resonance region. An energy-dependent partial-wave analysis has been performed and the couplings and branching fractions for decays of nucleon resonances to this channel are presented.