Recent results for the photoproduction of mesons from nuclei with tagged bremsstrahlung beams are summarized. The experiments have been done at the Mainz MAMI accelerator with the Crystal Ball/TAPS ...setup and at the Bonn ELSA accelerator with the Crystal Barrel/TAPS detector. Two main physics topics are covered. The electromagnetic excitation spectrum of the neutron has been studied with meson photoproduction reactions off quasi-free neutrons from light nuclei. Particularly interesting results have been obtained for η-photoproduction, where the excitation function of the neutron shows a pronounced, narrow structure which is not observed for the proton. The interaction of mesons with nuclear matter and the in-medium properties of hadrons under various aspects have been studied with meson photoproduction from nuclei, covering a large mass range (from the deuteron to lead). Questions like the possible formation of η-mesic nuclei and in-medium modifications of the σ-meson have been addressed.
Photoproduction of mesons is an excellent tool for the study of nucleon resonances. Complementary to pion induced reactions, photoproduction on the free proton contributes to the determination of the ...basic properties of nucleon resonances like excitation energy, decay widths, spin, and the coupling to the photon. Photoproduction from light nuclei, in particular from the deuteron, reveals the isospin structure of the electromagnetic excitation of the nucleon. During the last few years, progress in this field has been substantial. New accelerator facilities combined with state-of-the-art detector technologies have pushed the experiments to unprecedented sensitivity and precision. The experimental progress has been accompanied by new developments for the reaction models, necessary to extract the properties of the nucleon states, and for modern hadron models which try to connect these properties to QCD. The emphasis of this review lies on the experimental side and focuses on experiments aiming at precise studies of the low-lying nucleon resonances.
The polarization observables T,E,P,H, and G in photoproduction of η mesons off protons are measured for photon energies from threshold to W=2400 MeV (T), 2280 MeV (E), 1620 MeV (P,H), or 1820 MeV ...(G), covering nearly the full solid angle. The data are compared to predictions from the SAID, MAID, JüBo, and BnGa partial-wave analyses. A refit within the BnGa approach including further data yields precise branching ratios for the Nη decay of nucleon resonances. A Nη-branching ratio of 0.33±0.04 for N(1650)1/2− is found, which reduces the large and controversially discussed Nη-branching ratio difference of the two lowest mass JP=1/2−-resonances significantly.
The production of η and η′ mesons in photon- and hadron-induced reactions on free and quasi-free nucleons and on nuclei is reviewed. The extensive database on γN→ηN, for both proton and neutron ...targets, is described in detail and its implications for the search for N⋆ resonances much heavier than the dominant S11(1535) discussed. Though less is currently known about the production of the η′ or of ηπ pairs, these also offer tantalizing prospects in the search for the missing isobars. The more limited data available on pion-induced production are still necessary ingredients in the partial wave analysis discussed.
The production of the η-meson in pp and pn collisions shows once again the strong influence of the S11(1535) isobar, which is in contrast to the relatively weak behaviour seen near threshold for η′ production. This difference is reflected in the important final state interaction effects of the η in nuclei that may even lead to this meson being “bound” in some systems. The evidence for this is reviewed for both γA and pA collisions. The inclusive photoproduction of η, η′, and ηπ pairs from nuclei provides further information regarding the production mechanism and the interaction of the η and η′ with nuclei and the ηπ pairs may even allow access to low mass ηA systems that are forbidden in direct single-meson photoproduction.
Photoproduction of mesons plays a key role for the investigation of the excitation spectrum of the nucleon and thus for our understanding of the strong interaction in the non-perturbative regime. In ...this contribution we discuss recent results from the experiments at the tagged photon beams of the electron accelerators ELSA in Bonn and MAMI in Mainz. They include the measurement of cross sections and (double) polarization observables for single meson production and production of meson pairs off free protons as well as of quasi-free nucleons bound in light nuclei (in particular the deuteron).
We report a first measurement of the double-polarisation observable, Cx′, in π+ photoproduction off the proton. The Cx′ double-polarisation observable represents the transfer of polarisation from a ...circularly polarised photon beam to the recoiling neutron. The MAMI circularly polarised photon beam impinged on a liquid deuterium target cell, with reaction products detected in the Crystal Ball calorimeter. Ancillary apparatus surrounding the target provided tracking, particle identification and determination of recoil nucleon polarisation. The Cx′ observable is determined for photon energies 800-1400 MeV, providing new constraints on models aiming to elucidate the spectrum and properties of nucleon resonances. This is the first determination of any polarisation observable from the beam-recoil group of observables for this reaction. Inclusion of the new data in the database of the SAID partial wave analysis shifted the solution to a new global minima which, not only gives better agreement with the current data, but also improves the description of a range of other single and double polarisation observables for charged pion photoproduction.
The nuclear receptor NR2E1 (also known as TLX or tailless) controls the self-renewal of neural stem cells (NSCs) and has been implied as an oncogene which initiates brain tumors including ...glioblastomas. Despite NR2E1 regulating targets like p21(CIP1) or PTEN we still lack a full explanation for its role in NSC self-renewal and tumorigenesis. We know that polycomb repressive complexes also control stem cell self-renewal and tumorigenesis, but so far, no formal connection has been established between NR2E1 and PRCs. In a screen for transcription factors regulating the expression of the polycomb protein CBX7, we identified NR2E1 as one of its more prominent regulators. NR2E1 binds at the CBX7 promoter, inducing its expression. Notably CBX7 represses NR2E1 as part of a regulatory loop. Ectopic NR2E1 expression inhibits cellular senescence, extending cellular lifespan in fibroblasts via CBX7-mediated regulation of p16(INK4a) and direct repression of p21(CIP1). In addition NR2E1 expression also counteracts oncogene-induced senescence. The importance of NR2E1 to restrain senescence is highlighted through the process of knocking down its expression, which causes premature senescence in human fibroblasts and epithelial cells. We also confirmed that NR2E1 regulates CBX7 and restrains senescence in NSCs. Finally, we observed that the expression of NR2E1 directly correlates with that of CBX7 in human glioblastoma multiforme. Overall we identified control of senescence and regulation of polycomb action as two possible mechanisms that can join those so far invoked to explain the role of NR2E1 in control of NSC self-renewal and cancer.
Photoproduction of π0π±-pairs from quasifree nucleons bound in the deuteron has been investigated to study the helicity dependence of this reaction. Measurements with a liquid deuterium target were ...used to extract the unpolarized cross sections for reactions on protons and neutrons. A deuterated, longitudinally polarized solid-butanol target, together with a circularly polarized photon beam, determined the double polarization observable E. From these results the spin-dependent cross sections σ1/2 and σ3/2, corresponding to the anti-parallel and parallel spin configurations of the beam photon and target nucleon, have been derived. The measurements were performed at the Mainz MAMI accelerator with tagged, circularly-polarized photon beams produced via bremsstrahlung from longitudinally polarized electron beams. The reaction products were detected with an almost 4π solid-angle covering calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors, supplemented by plastic scintillation detectors for charged particle identification. The results are sensitive to sequential decays of nucleon resonances via intermediate states and also to the decay of nucleon resonances by emission of charged ρ mesons, and are compared to recent model results.
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