Differential cross sections and spin density matrix elements for γp → φp from CLAS

Preliminary differential cross-sections and the ρMM'0 spin density matrix elements (SDME) for the reaction γρ → φp for both charged-(φ → K+K-) and neutral-mode (φ → KL0KS0) topologies obtained from CLAS are presented. Our kinematic coverage is from near production threshold (√(s)∼1.97 GeV) to (√(s) 2.84 GeV), with a wide coverage in the production angle. As seen in previous LEPS results, the differential cross-sections show a localized 'bump' between (√(s)∼2 and 2.2 GeV that is not expected from a simple Pomeron exchange picture. Comparisons between the charged- and neutral-mode results and possible effects from the K+Λ(1520) channel are discussed. Our SDME results confirm the well-known deviations from t-channel helicity conservation (TCHC) for Pomeron exchange, but s-channel helicity conservation (SCHC) is also seen to be broken.