Gauge invariant unitary theory for pion photoproduction

Abstract
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→πN and γN→πN.