Polarization observables in $\pi^0\eta$-photoproduction on the proton

Abstract

For $\pi^0\eta$-photoproduction on the nucleon formal expressions are developed for the five-fold differential cross section and the recoil polarization including beam and target polarizations. The polarization observables are described by various beam, target and beam-target asymmetries for polarized photons and/or polarized nucleons. They are given as bilinear hermitean forms in the reaction matrix elements divided by the unpolarized cross section. Numerical results for the linear and circular beam asymmetries for $\gamma p\to\pi^0\eta p$ are obtained within an isobar model and are compared with existing data. Predictions are also given for the target asymmetry $T_{11}$, and the beam-target asymmetries $T^c_{10}$ and $T^c_{11}$ for circularly polarized photons.