Quasifree kaon photoproduction from nuclei in a relativistic approach

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2000 · Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.61.014604· OSTI ID:20215144

Abu-Raddad, L J ^[1]; Piekarewicz, J ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics and Supercomputer Computations Research Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306 (United States)

We compute the recoil polarization of the lambda hyperon and the photon asymmetry for the quasifree photoproduction of kaons in a relativistic mean-field approximation to the Walecka model. Our motivation for studying polarization observables is threefold. First, polarization observables are more effective discriminators of subtle dynamics than the unpolarized cross section. Second, earlier nonrelativistic calculations suggest that polarization observables are relatively insensitive to distortions effects. Finally, this insensitivity entails an enormous simplification in the theoretical treatment. Indeed, by introducing the notion of a ''bound-nucleon propagator'' we exploit Feynman's trace techniques to develop closed-form, analytic expressions for all photoproduction observables. Moreover, our results indicate that polarization observables are also insensitive to relativistic effects and to the nuclear target. Yet, they are sensitive to the model parameters, making them ideal tools for the study of modifications to the elementary amplitude--such as in the production, propagation, and decay of nucleon resonances--in the nuclear medium. (c) 1999 The American Physical Society.

• OSTI ID: 20215144
• Journal Information: Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. C, Nuclear Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 61; ISSN 0556-2813; ISSN PRVCAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
LAMBDA BARYONS
MEAN-FIELD THEORY
PHOTONUCLEAR REACTIONS
PHOTOPRODUCTION
POLARIZATION
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
STRANGENESS
THEORETICAL DATA