Measurement of the reaction γd → π−pp, and determination of cross sections for the reaction γn → π−p, at photon energies between 0.2 and 2.0 GeV

Abstract The reaction γ d→ π − pp has been measured in a bubble chamber experiment at DESY with a bremsstrahlung beam of E γ max = 5.5 GeV. Total and differential cross sections are presented for the energy region from 0.2 to 2.0 GeV. The extraction of cross sections on the neutron is discussed in detail. The impulse approximation and the closure relation, with corrections for the exclusion principle and the Fermi motion effects, as well as the Chew-Low extrapolation technique are applied. Total cross sections and angular distributions for the reaction γ n→ π − p, deduced by these methods, are presented in graohs and tables. The results are compared with other experiments and with various predictions. No positive evidence for an isotensor electromagnetic current is found. The results disagree with some of the measurements of radiative pion capture, if detailed balance is assumed to connect the two reactions.