Vector meson dominance model and π± production by unpolarized and linearly polarized photons

Abstract

Using the vector meson dominance model, it is shown that the polarization of vector mesons produced in meson nucleon collisions yields information on pion production by linearly polarized photons. Combining vector dominance and a quark-model relation the cross section for charged pion production by linearly polarized photons is predicted. Moreover, the unpolarized π ± cross sections calculated from the vector dominance and quark models are compared with recent experiments.