The beam asymmetry, $\Sigma$, was measured at ELSA in the reaction $\vec \gamma p \to \eta p$ using linearly polarised tagged photon beams, produced by coherent bremsstrahlung off a diamond. The crystal was oriented to provide polarised photons in the energy range $E_\gamma = 800$ to 1400 MeV with the maximum polarisation of $P_\gamma = 49$ % obtained at 1305 MeV. Both dominant decay modes of the $\eta$ into two photons and $3\pi^0$ were used to extract the beam asymmetry from the azimuthal modulation of the cross section. The measurements cover the angular range $\Theta_\text{cm}\simeq 50$ -- 150 degrees. Large asymmetries up to 80 % are observed, in agreement with a previous measurement. The eta-MAID model and the Bonn--Gatchina partial wave analysis describe the measurements, but the required partial waves differ significantly.
Photon asymmetry for eta photoproduction at incident photon energy of 850 MeV.
Photon asymmetry for eta photoproduction at incident photon energy of 950 MeV.
Photon asymmetry for eta photoproduction at incident photon energy of 1050 MeV.
Quasi-free photoproduction of eta-mesons off nucleons bound in the deuteron has been measured with the CBELSA/TAPS detector for incident photon energies up to 2.5 GeV at the Bonn ELSA accelerator. The eta-mesons have been detected in coincidence with recoil protons and recoil neutrons, which allows a detailed comparison of the quasi-free n(gamma,eta)n and p(gamma,eta)p reactions. The excitation function for eta-production off the neutron shows a pronounced bump-like structure at W=1.68 GeV (E_g ~ 1 GeV), which is absent for the proton.
Measured value of the quasi-free eta cross section off protons and neutrons as a function of incident photon energy.
Ratio of the measured quasi-free neutron to proton cross sections as a function of incident photon energy.
Measured angular distribution for an incident photon energy of 0.700 GeV.
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).
Inclusive energy distribution for incident photon energy 0.650 to 0.835 GeV.
Inclusive energy distribution for incident photon energy 0.835 to 1.050 GeV.
Inclusive energy distribution for incident photon energy 1.050 to 1.550 GeV.
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