## Measurement of the beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ for $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ photoproduction on the proton at $E_\gamma = 9$ GeV

We report measurements of the photon beam asymmetry $\Sigma$ for the reactions $\vec{\gamma}p\to p\pi^0$ and $\vec{\gamma}p\to p\eta$ from the GlueX experiment using a 9 GeV linearly-polarized, tagged photon beam incident on a liquid hydrogen target in Jefferson Lab&#39;s Hall D. The asymmetries, measured as a function of the proton momentum transfer, possess greater precision than previous $\pi^0$ measurements and are the first $\eta$ measurements in this energy regime. The results are compared with theoretical predictions based on $t$-channel, quasi-particle exchange and constrain the axial-vector component of the neutral meson production mechanism in these models.

Publication Date:
May 15 2017
Date Submitted:
Jul 13 2018
ISSN:
2469-9993
Citation:
Physical Review C
C95
4
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