Tensor polarized γ-deuteron Compton scattering in effective field theory

The differential cross section for gamma-deuteron Compton scattering from a tensor polarized deuteron is computed in an effective field theory. The first non-vanishing contributions to this differential cross section are the interference terms between the leading electric coupling diagrams and the subleading single potential pion exchange diagrams or the subleading magnetic moment coupling diagrams. At 90 degrees photon scattering angle, only the pion term contributes at this order to the tensor polarized differential cross section. This provides a clean way to study the photon pion dynamics in the two nucleon sector. The effect is measurable for photon energies between 40 and 80 MeV provided the uncertainty in the measured cross sections are less than or similar to 7%. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.