The sensitivity of the $^{ 12}$C$(\vec{ \gamma},pd)$ reaction to photon linear polarisation has been determined at MAMI, giving the first measurement of the reaction for a nucleus heavier than $^{ 3}$He. Photon asymmetries and cross sections were measured for $E_{ \gamma}$=170 to 350 MeV. For $E_{ \gamma}$ below the $\Delta$ resonance, reactions leaving the residual $^{ 9}$Be near its ground state show a positive asymmetry of up to 0.3, similar to that observed for $^{ 3}$He suggesting a similar reaction mechanism for the two nuclei.
Categories: nucl-ex