The role of meson retardation in deuteron photodisintegration above pion threshold Original Research Article

Photodisintegration of the deuteron above π threshold is studied in a coupled-channel approach including NΔ and πd channels with consideration of pion retardation in potentials and exchange currents. A much improved description of total and differential cross sections in the energy region between π threshold and 400–450 MeV is achieved. With respect to polarization observables, the description of the linear photon asymmetry and the proton polarization remains problematic.