EXPLORING THE REACTION-MECHANISM OF ETA-PRIME PHOTOPRODUCTION

We examine theoretical implications of studying the differential cross -section and some key polarization observables in the eta' photoproduc tion reaction off protons, from its threshold to about 2 GeV of cm ene rgy, the region of the so-called ''missing baryon resonances''. We com pare implications of different models all of which generate the observ ed peak in the total eta' photoproduction cross section, but have very different differential cross section and polarization profiles. Their measurements are thus crucial in distinguishing these reaction mechan isms, of interest to understanding QCD in its nonperturbative domain. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.