The process γγ→π+π−π+π− has been investigated in reactions of the typee+e−→e+e−π+π−π+π− in the single tag mode. The range of the four momentum squared of one of the virtual photons was 0.28 GeV2/c2≦Q2≦3.6 GeV2/c2, the average being 〈Q2〉=0.92 GeV2/c2; the other photon was quasi real. The reaction is mainly described by the channels γγ→ρ0ρ0 and γγ→4π (phase space), occuring with about equal probability. TheQ2-dependence of the cross section is in agreement with the ρ form factor.

The reactione+e−→e+e− A2 (1320) has been observed by detecting the decayA2→π+,π-π0. The two-photon width of theA2 has been measured to be Г(A2→γγ)=(0.09±0.27 (stat)±0.16 (syst)) keV. The cross section σ(γγ→π+,π-π0 has been determined outside theA2 resonance region.

The production of charged kaon pairs in two-photon interactions has been studied with the ARGUS detector and the topological cross section has been measured. The γγ-widths and interference parameters have been determined for the tensor mesonsf2 (1270),a2 (1318) andf′2 (1525). The helicity structure assumed for the continuum contribution has a significant effect on the result. Upper limits have been obtained for the γγ-widths of the glueball candidate statesf2 (1720) andX (2230).

The reactionγγ→π+π−π+π− has been studied with the ARGUS detector. The rate in the invariant mass region below 1.8 GeV/c2 is found to be largely due toρ0ρ0 production. A spin-parity analysis shows a dominance of the partial wave (JP,Jz)=(2+, 2) with a small admixture fromJP=0+. The contribution of negative parity states is consistent with zero. The large ratio of cross sectionsσ(γγ→ρ0ρ0)/σ(γγ→ρ+ρ−)≃4, and the dominance of theJP=2+ wave in the reactionγγ→ρ0ρ0 is a signature consistent with the production of an exotic (I=2) resonance.

In the analysis of the reactione+e−→e+e−KS0Ks0 clear evidence for exclusive γγ→f2′ resonance production is observed. The productΓγγ ·B(f2′→K\(\bar K\)) is measured to be 0.10−0.03−0.02+0.04+0.03 keV independent of ana priori assumption on the helicity structure. Our data are consistent with a pure helicity 2 contribution and we derive an upper limit for the ratioΓγγ(0)/Γγγ. The absence of events in the mass region around 1.3 GeV clearly proves destructivef2−a2 interference and allows to measure the relative phases betweenf2,a2 andf2′. Upper limits on the production of the glueball candidate statesf2(1720) andX(2230) as well as theKS0KS0-continuum are given.

The production of thef0 in two photon collisions, with the subsequent decayf0→π+π− has been observed in the CELLO detector at PETRA. Thef0 peak was found to lie on a dipion continuum and to be shifted downwards in mass by ≃50 MeV/c2. The ππ mass spectrum from 0.8 to 1.5 GeV/c2 was well fitted by the model of Mennessier using only a unitarised Born amplitude and helicity 2f0 amplitude. The previously observed mass shift and distortion of thef0 peak are explained by strong interference between the Born andf0 amplitudes. The only free parameter in the fit of the data to the model is the radiative widthΓγγ(f0). It was found that:Γγγ(f0)=2.5±0.1±0.5 keV where the first (second) quoted errors are statistical (systematic).

The reactions gamma gamma -> pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^- and gamma gamma -> pi^+pi^0pi^-pi^0 are studied with the L3 detector at LEP in a data sample collected at centre-of-mass energies from 161GeV to 209GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 698/pb. A spin-parity-helicity analysis of the rho^0 rho^0 and rho^+ rho^- systems for two-photon centre-of-mass energies between 1GeV and 3GeV shows the dominance of the spin-parity state 2+ with helicity 2. The contribution of 0+ and 0- spin-parity states is also observed, whereas contributions of 2- states and of a state with spin-parity 2+ and zero helicity are found to be negligible.

Exclusive rho^+ rho^- production in two-photon collisions involving a single highly-virtual photon is studied with data collected at LEP at centre-of-mass energies 89 GeV < \sqrt{s} < 209 GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 854.7 pb^-1. The cross section of the process gamma gamma^* -> rho^+ rho^- is determined as a function of the photon virtuality, Q^2, and the two-photon centre-of-mass energy, W_gg, in the kinematic region: 1.2 GeV^2 < Q^2 < 30 GeV^2 and 1.1 GeV < W_gg < 3 GeV. The \rho^+\rho^- production cross section is found to be of the same magnitude as the cross section of the process gamma gamma^* -> rho^0 rho^0, measured in the same kinematic region by L3, and to have similar W_gg and Q^2 dependences.

The differential cross sections for γ p→ π + n from hydrogen and the π − π + ratios from deuterium were measured at nine c.m. angles between 30° and 150° for laboratory photon energies between 260 and 800 MeV. A magnetic spectrometer with three layers of scintillation hodoscope was used to detect charged π mesons. The cross section for γ n→ π − p was obtained as a product of d σ d Ω (γ p →π + n ) and the π − π + ratio. The overall features in the cross sections of the two reactions, γ p→ π + n and γ n→ π − p, and in the ratios, π − π + , agree with predictions by Moorhouse, Oberlack and Rosenfeld, and Metcalf and Walker. An investigation of the possible existence of an isotensor current was made and a negative result was found. In detailed balance comparison with the new results on the inverse reaction π − p→ γ n, no apparent violation of time-reversal invariance was observed.

The differential cross section has been measured for the reaction γ +p→p+ π o at the Bonn 2.5 GeV electron synchrotron in the energy range from 0.4 to 2.2 GeV for a c.m. angle of 150 degrees. The protons were detected in a magnetic spectrometer system. The excitation curve shows a distinct resonance structure. The total corrections to the counting rate are about 3%. The contribution of the process γ +p→p+2 π was separated. The uncertainty of this separation leads to an error of about 4% in the cross section.

The π − p→n γ and π − p→n π ° differential cross sections have been measured for −0.9< cos θ ∗ <−0.45 (θ ∗ c.m. scattering angle) at 475 MeV/ c and 550 MeV/ c incident momenta. The π − p→n γ measurement is a good check of the detailed balance principle in the electromagnetic interactions of hadrons at these energies and is in good agreement with Walker's analysis. On the other hand the π − p→ π °n extrapolated values of 180° allows one to verify that the phases of the A 1 2 and A 3 2 amplitudes are equal.

The polarized target asymmetry in the reaction γ p → π 0 p has been measured at c.m. angles of 30°, 80°, 105° and 120° for incident photon energies below 1 GeV. Two decay photons from π 0 were detected in coincidence at 30°, and at the other angles recoil protons and single photons from π 0 were detected. The results are compared with recent phenomenological analyses.

The polarized target asymmetry for the process γ p → π + n has been measured for incident photon energies below 1.02 GeV over a range of c.m. angles from 40° to 160°. π + mesons from a polarized butanol target were detected by a magnetic spectrometer. The results are compared with predictions given by existing analyses. A tentative interpretation of the data is performed, and a larger contribution of S-wave resonances is suggested. The photocouplings of dominant resonances were hardly changed by the inclusion of new data and they seem to be almost uniquely determined.

The reaction γ V p → p π + π − was studied in the W , Q 2 region 1.3–2.8 GeV, 0.3–1.4 GeV 2 using the streamer chamber at DESY. A detailed analysis of rho production via γ V p→ ϱ 0 p is presented. Near threshold rho production has peripheral and non-peripheral contributions of comparable magnitude. At higher energies ( W > 2 GeV) the peripheral component is dominant. The Q 2 dependence of σ ( γ V p→ ϱ 0 p) follows that of the rho propagator as predicted by VDM. The slope of d σ /d t at 〈 Q 2 〉 = 0.4 and 0.8 GeV 2 is within errors equal to its value at Q 2 = 0. The overall shape of the ϱ 0 is t dependent as in photoproduction, but is independent of Q 2 . The decay angular distribution shows that longitudinal rhos dominate in the threshold region. At higher energies transverse rhos are dominant. Rho production by transverse photons proceeds almost exclusively by natural parity exchange, σ T N ⩾ (0.83 ± 0.06) σ T for 2.2 < W < 2.8 GeV. The s -channel helicity-flip amplitudes are small compared to non-flip amplitudes. The ratio R = σ L / σ T was determined assuming s -channel helicity conservation. We find R = ξ 2 Q 2 / M ϱ 2 with ξ 2 ≈ 0.4 for 〈 W 〉 = 2.45 GeV. Interference between rho production amplitudes from longitudinal and transverse photons is observed. With increasing energy the phase between the two amplitudes decreases. The observed features of rho electroproduction are consistent with a dominantly diffractive production mechanism for W > 2 GeV.

We present a measurement of the cross section for the reaction e + e − → e + e − π + π − π + π − at SPEAR. This channel is found to be large and dominated by the process γγ → ϱ 0 ϱ 0 → π + π − π + π − . The cross section, which is small just above the four-pion threshold, exhibits a large enhancement near the ϱ 0 ϱ 0 threshold.

We report the first measurement of the neutron electric form factor $G_E^n$ via $\vec{d}(\vec{e},e'n)p$ using a solid polarized target. $G_E^n$ was determined from the beam-target asymmetry in the scattering of longitudinally polarized electrons from polarized deuterated ammonia, $^{15}$ND$_3$. The measurement was performed in Hall C at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) in quasi free kinematics with the target polarization perpendicular to the momentum transfer. The electrons were detected in a magnetic spectrometer in coincidence with neutrons in a large solid angle segmented detector. We find $G_E^n = 0.04632\pm0.00616 (stat.) \pm0.00341 (syst.)$ at $Q^2 = 0.495$ (GeV/c)$^2$.

Differential cross sections of proton Compton scattering have been measured in the energy range between 400 MeV and 1050 MeV at C.M.S. angles of 150° and 160°.

At the Bonn 2.5 GeV electron synchrotron the first measurements of the target asymmetry for the reaction γ + n ↑ → π − + p have been performed. The negative pions were detected in a magnetic spectrometer at a constant pion c.m. angle of 40° and photon energies between 0.45 GeV and 2.0 GeV. Deuterated butanol was used as target material. The polarization of the deuterons was about 16%. The results show a significant difference from the previously measured π + asymmetry.

The polarized target asymmetry for γ n→ π − p was measured over the second resonance region from 0.55 to 0.9 GeV at pion c.m. angles between 60° and 120°. A double-arm spectrometer was used with a deuterated butanol target to detect both the pion and the proton, thus considerably improving the data quality. Including the new data in the amplitude analysis, the radiative decay widths of three resonances were determined more accurately than before. The results are compared with various quark models.

We have observed exclusive production of K + K − and K S O K S O pairs and the excitation of the f′(1515) tensor meson in photon-photon collisions. Assuming the f′ to be production in a helicity 2 state, we determine Λ( f ′ → γγ) B( f ′ → K K ) = 0.11 ± 0.02 ± 0.04 keV . The non-strange quark of the f′ is found to be less than 3% (95% CL). For the θ(1640) we derive an upper limit for the product Λ(θ rarr; γγ K K ) < 0.03 keV (95% CL ) .

Results are presented of an untagged e + e − → e + e − + π + π − experiment performed at PEP with the DELCO detector. In the invariant-mass range 0.7 ⩽ W ππ < 2.0 GeV/ c 2 , the QED e + e − background is identified and eliminated, and both the π + π − predictions and the μ + μ − and K + K − background substractions are normalized to the measurement of the e e + e − events. The results agree with a simple model of superposition and interference of the f 0 (1270) resonance, produced with helicity 2, with a Born-term continuum. From a fit of the model to the data, the radiative width of the f 0 is determined to be Γ f 0 → γγ = 2.70 ± 0.21 keV.

We investigate the four-photon final state produced in γγ colissions. In the π 0 π 0 channel we observe f(1270) production with predominantly helicity 2 and measure a partial width Γ γγ 2.9 +0.6 −0.4 ± keV (independent of assumptions on the helicity). We observe A 2 (1310) production in the π 0 η channel and find a partial width Γ γγ = 0.77 ± 0.18 ± 0.27 KeV (assuming helicity 2). We give an upper limit for f ≈ ηη .

The angular dependence of the asymmetry for negative-pion photoproduction on neutrons by linearly polarized photons has been measured for photon energies 260, 300, 350, 400, 450, and 500 MeV at center-of-mass angles 60°, 75°, 90°, 150°, and 120°. The results are compared with theoretical models of low-energy single-pion photoproduction. The observed asymmetry below 400 MeV shows good agreement with predictions of dispersion-theoretical models by Berends, Donnachie, and Weaver and by Schwela. The asymmetry values in the 400-500 MeV energy region suggest that smaller M1− amplitude is more favorable.

We report measurements of the two-photon processes e+e−→e+e−π+π− and e+e−→e+e−K+K−, at an e+e− center-of-mass energy of 29 GeV. In the π+π− data a high-statistics analysis of the f(1270) results in a γγ width Γ(γγ→f)=3.2±0.4 keV. The π+π− continuum below the f mass is well described by a QED Born approximation, whereas above the f mass it is consistent with a QCD-model calculation if a large contribution from the f is assumed. For the K+K− data we find agreement of the high-mass continuum with the QCD prediction; limits on f′(1520) and θ(1720) formation are presented.

We present new high statistics data on hadron production in photon-photon reactions. The data are analyzed in terms of an electron-photon scattering formalism. The dependence of the total cross section of Q 2 , the four-momentum transfer squared of the scattered electron, and on the mass W of the hadronic system is investigated. The data are compared to predictions from Vector-Meson Dominance and the quark model.