A gauge invariant unitary theory for pion photoproduction
The Ward-Takahashi identities are central to the gauge invariance of the photoproduction amplitude. Here we demonstrate that unitarity and in particular the inclusion of both the $πN$ and $γπN$ thresholds on equal footing yields a photoproduction amplitude that satisfies both two-body unitarity and the generalized Ward-Takahashi identities. The final amplitude is a solution of a set of coupled channel integral equations for the reactions $πN\rightarrowπN$ and $γN\rightarrowπN$. % Figures available from the authors upon request, % e-mail: phchv@pippin.cc.flinders.edu.au % Submitted to Physical Review C