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.

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.

Pions from the reaction γ + p → π + + n were analysed in the backward direction by a magnetic spectrometer. The photon energy region of 0.394 GeV to 1.397 GeV was covered by 19 different momentum settings. Data reduction resulted in 74 measured differential cross sections with statistical uncertainties typically from 4% to 8%. The systematic uncertainty was estimated to be ±5%. The data are compared to other recent experiments and predictions of phenomenological analyses.

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.

The polarized target asymmetry for γ + p → π + + n was measured at c.m. angles around 130° for the energy range between 0.3 and 1.0 GeV. A magnetic spectrometer system was used to detect π + mesons from the polarized butanol target. The data show two prominent positive peaks at 0.4 and 0.8 GeV and a deep minimum at 0.6 GeV. These features are well reproduced by the phenomenological analysis made by us.

The polarized target asymmetry in the reaction γp→π°p has been measured at c.m. angles around 100° for photon energies between 0.4 and 1.0 GeV by detecting both the recoil proton and the π°. The result is compared with recent analyses.

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 ) .

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 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 reaction gamma p -> p pi0 gamma' has been measured with the Crystal Ball / TAPS detectors using the energy-tagged photon beam at the electron accelerator facility MAMI-B. Energy and angular differential cross sections for the emitted photon gamma' and angular differential cross sections for the pi0 have been determined with high statistics in the energy range of the Delta+(1232) resonance. Cross sections and the ratio of the cross section to the non-radiative process gamma p -> p pi0 are compared to theoretical reaction models, having the anomalous magnetic moment kappa_Delta+ as free parameter. As the shape of the experimental distributions is not reproduced in detail by the model calculations, currently no extraction of kappa_Delta+ is feasible.

The recoil proton polarization of the reaction γ p → π 0 p was measured at a c.m. angle of 100° for incident photon energies between 451 and 1106 MeV, and at an angle of 130° for energies from 400 to 1142 MeV. One photon, decayed from a π 0 meson, and a recoil proton were detected in coincidence. Two kinds of polarization analyzer were employed. In the range of proton kinetic energy less than 420 MeV and higher than 346 MeV, carbon plates and liquid hydrogen were used for determining the polarization, respectively. The data given by the two polarimeter systems are in good agreement. Results are compared with recent phenomenological analyses. From the comparison between the present data and the polarized target data, the invariant amplitude A 3 can be estimated to be small.

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.

An analysis of the production ofKS0KS0 andK±Ks0π∓ by two quasi-real photons is presented. The cross section forγγ→K0\(\overline {K^0 } \), which is given for the γγ invariant mass range fromK\(\bar K\) threshold to 2.5 GeV, is dominated by thef′(1525) resonance and an enhancement near theK\(\bar K\) threshold. Upper limits on the product of the two-photon width times the branching ratio intoK\(\bar K\) pairs are given forΘ(1700),h(2030), and ξ(2220). For exclusive two-photon production ofK±Ks0π∓ no significant signal was observed. Upper limits are given on the cross section ofγγ→K+\(\overline {K^0 } \)π− orK−K0π+ between 1.4 and 3.2 GeV and on the product of the γγ width times the branching ratio into theK\(\bar K\)π final states for theηc(2980) and the ι(1440), yieldingΓ(γγ)→i(1440))·BR(i(1440)→K\(\bar K\)π<2.2 keV at 95% C.L.

Some cross-sections for the photo-production of ~z~ from hydrogen for pion c.m. angles in the range 60~ ~ are presented. The data have been obtained by measuring proton yields from a hydrogen target, thus permitting separation of single-pion production from the strong background caused by double-pion production. The values, which extend from 360 to 938 MeV, show reasonable agreement with the results of a recent phase-shift analysis

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.

In the reaction γγ→KS0KS0 resonance production of thef2− is observed. For the radiative with\(\Gamma _{\gamma \gamma } .B(f'_2\to K\bar K) = 0.11_{ - 0.02}^{ + 0.03}\pm 0.02keV\) is found. The small number of events in thef2,a2 mass region is consistent with the assumption of destructivef2−a2 interference. From the mass distribution we determine the relative phases between the tensor mesons. Upper limits on the radiative widths of the glueball candidatesf2(1720) andX (2220) are derived.

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 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.