Measurement of proton polarization in. pi. /sup 0/ photoproduction at theta/sub. pi. //sub =/* = 70/sup 0/ in a linearly polarized photon beam

The energy dependence of the P/sub x//sub z/ and P/sub y/ components of the polarization vector of the recoil protons has been measured in the photoproduction of ..pi../sup 0/ mesons in hydrogen for an angle theta/sub ..pi..//sub =/* = 70/sup 0/ in the energy range E/sub ..gamma../ = 0.78--1.17 GeV. The results of the measurements are compared with the predictions of various theoretical analyses