Complete sets of observables in pseudoscalar-meson photoproduction

Abstract

Pseudoscalar-meson photoproduction is characterized by four complex reaction amplitudes. A complete set is a minimum theoretical set of observables that allow to determine these amplitudes unambiguously. It is studied whether complete sets remain complete when experimental uncertainty is involved. To this end, data from the GRAAL Collaboration and simulated data from a realistic model, both for the $\gamma p \to K^+ \Lambda$ reaction, are analyzed in the transversity representation of the reaction amplitudes. It is found that only the moduli of the transversity amplitudes can be determined without ambiguity but not the relative phases.