Measurement of the polarization of the recoil proton in γ+p → p +π0 using a propane-ethane bubble chamber

Abstract

The polarization of the recoil proton in γ + p → p + π0 has been measured at photon energies of 725 MeV and 900 MeV for centerof-mass angles near 90° using a small propane-ethane gas bubble chamber. Protons emerging from a liquid hydrogen target are momentum-analysed with a magnet, and the scattering from carbon observed in the bubble chamber. A counter telescope rejects pions and electrons, and protons from multiple pion processes are discriminated against by keeping the peak bremsstrahlung energy just above the mean photon energy. The visual method of observing scattering asymmetries has the advantage of being insensitive to systematic asymmetries in the incoming proton flux. It also quickly eliminates strongly inelastic scatters (stars), and provides a complete angular distribution from which the fraction of scatters which are inelastic can be deduced. The effect of inelastic scatters upon the scattering asymmetry is large when the energy-loss resolution is poor, an inherent problem with bremsstrahlung beams. The counting rate for this small chamber (3.4g/cm2 carbon scatterer) was 11 scatters/hour using every 5th synchrotron pulse; larger chambers with more dense scatterers (such as Freon) could give higher counting rates. Results are fork = 725MeV and ϑ (pion) = 87° (cm.), P=0.74±0.20, and for k=900MeV and ϑ (pion) = 70°, P=.51±.7. P is taken to be positive along the directionK xp, wherep is the momentum of the outgoing proton.