Compton Scattering by the Proton using a Large-Acceptance Arrangement

Compton scattering by the proton has been measured over a wide range covering photon energies 250 MeV lt or approximately=E/sub gamma / lt or approximately=800 MeV and photon scattering angles 30 degrees lt or approximately= theta /sub gamma //sup lab/ lt or approximately=150 degrees , using the tagged-photon facility at MAMI (Mainz) and the large-acceptance arrangement LARA. The previously existing data base on proton Compton scattering is greatly enlarged by more than 700 new data points. The new data are interpreted in terms of dispersion theory based on the SAID-SM99K parametrization of photo-meson amplitudes. It is found that two-pion exchange in the t-channel is needed for a descripti…