Polarized-target asymmetry in pion-proton bremsstrahlung at 298 MeV

First data are presented for the polarized-target asymmetry in the reaction π+p→π+pγ at an incident pion energy of 298 MeV. The geometry was chosen to maximize the sensitivity to the radiation of the magnetic dipole moment μΔ of the Δ++(1232 MeV). A fit of the asymmetry in the cross section d5σ/dΩπ dΩγ dk as a function of the photon energy k to predictions from a recent isobar-model calculation with μΔ as the only free parameter yields μΔ=1.64(±0.19expΔ,±0.14 theor)μp. Though this value agrees with bag-model corrections to the SU(6) prediction μΔ=2μp, further clarifications on the model dependence of the result are needed, in particular since the isobar model fails to describe both the cross section and the asymmetry at the highest photon energies