Program of Compton Scattering Studies on Light Nuclei at HIGS

The High Intensity Gamma-Ray Source (HIGS) delivers monoenergetic photon beams with high linear or circular polarization. To exploit the unique capabilities of this facility, we have begun an ambitious program of Compton scattering studies on light (A = 1-16) nuclei. A state-of-the-art unpolarized cryotarget system has been developed at HIGS that can liquefy hydrogen, deuterium and helium. Initial Compton experiments have been performed below 86 MeV with unpolarized photons on protons, deuterons and ⁴He. Experiments on deuterium will elucidate the neutron EM polarizabilities and provide high precision data for comparison with chiral Effective Field Theory calculations and with recent data from MAX-Lab at Lund. A new approved experiment on ³He will constitute the first Compton data ever taken on a ³He target, providing an alternate means of accessing the neutron polarizabilities in an entrance channel independent of the usual deuteron experiments. In addition, data on ⁶Li, ¹²C and ¹⁶O have been taken to characterize the Compton cross section over a range of light nuclei. In this talk, an overview of the Compton program at HIGS will be presented, preliminary results of our recent measurements will be shown, and prospects for future experiments and their impact will be discussed.