Differential Cross Sections for Neutral-Pion Electroproduction Near the First Pion-Nucleon Resonance

Abstract

Electron-proton coincidences from the reaction $e^{-}+p\to e^{-}+p+{\pi }^0$ have been measured for pion-nucleon center-of-mass energies in the region of the $N^{*}\mathrm{}\left(1236\right)\mathrm{}$ resonance at four-momentum transfers near 1, 3, 6, and 10 ${\mathrm{F}}^{-2\mathrm{}}$ [0.05 to 0.4 ${(\mathrm{B}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c})}^2$]. Data have been obtained for pion polar angles between 100° and 180° c.m. over a wide range of azimuthal angles. The results are compared with the dispersion theories of Adler and Zagury.