The GDH sum rule for the deuteron

Abstract

As first topic, the GDH sume rule is discussed in the context of a more general class of sum rules associated with the various contributions to the total photoabsorption cross section for target and beam polarization. Then I address the question of whether the GDH sum rule for the neutron can be determined from the one for the deuteron. It appears that this will not be possible in a simple manner. The spin response of the deuteron is calculated including contributions from the photodisintegration channel and from coherent and incoherent single pion production as well, and the GDH integral is evaluated up to a photon energy of 550 MeV. The photodisintegration channel converges fast enough and gives a large negative contribution, essentially from the $^1S_0$ state near threshold and its absolute size is about the same than the sum of proton and neutron GDH values. It is only partially cancelled by the single pion production contribution. But the incoherent channel has not reached convergence at 550 MeV.