Photoproduction of mesons in nuclei at GeV energies

Abstract

In a transport model that combines initial state interactions of the photon with final state interactions of the produced particles we present a calculation of inclusive photoproduction of mesons in nuclei in the energy range from 1 to 7 GeV. We give predictions for the photoproduction cross sections of pions, etas, kaons, antikaons, and $π^+π^-$ invariant mass spectra in ^{12}C and ^{208}Pb. The effects of nuclear shadowing and final state interaction of the produced particles are discussed in detail.

Text added in summary in general reliability of the method, references updated. Phys. Rev. C (2000) in press