Neutral Pion Photoproduction in a Regge Model

Abstract

The reaction $\gamma p \to \pi^0 p$ is investigated in the energy range above the resonance region. The amplitudes include the leading Regge singularities in the cross-channel and correctly describe the differential cross section for beam energies above 4 GeV and for the $s-$channel scattering angle $\cos\theta_s\ge 0.6$. The energy dependence of the beam asymmetry and the reaction $\gamma n \to \pi^0 n$ seem is quantitative consistent with the Regge-pole dominance.