Nuclear photoabsorption and Compton scattering at intermediate energy

Intermediate energy nuclear photoabsorption and Compton scattering within the Δ-hole approach are studied. The same Δ-nucleus dynamics used to describe a variety of pion-induced reactions are employed. A dynamical model for the photon-nucleon amplitude is constructed, including both resonant-channel and nonresonant backgrounds in addition to Δ-excitation. Medium corrections to the full amplitude are included for nuclear seattering. A doorway state expansion allows one to discuss quantitatively the role of various contributions to the Δ-hole Hamiltonian, thereby clarifying the level of sensitivity to the structure of the Δ spreading potential. The reactive content of the total cross section is diseussed. The results are compared with available photoabsorption data for 4He, 12C and 16O. We present results for the Δ contribution to the electron seattering transverse response function, for coherent π 0 photoproduction, and for nuclear elastic Compton seattering. The photoabsorption strength is spread over a larger energy range by the Δ dynamics, in agreement with the data, but is centered at too high an energy. The helicity flip Compton cross section is especially sensitive to the Δ-nucleus interaction, such as the spin-orbit potential strength.