Inclusive positive pion photoproduction

Inclusive π+ photoproduction below the Δ(1232) resonance has been measured from H, C, Ca, Sn, and Pb at laboratory angles of 51°, 81°, 109°, and 141° using tagged photons and ΔE-E plastic scintillator telescopes with 17-MeV thresholds. Particle identification involved both the determination of differential energy loss and the detection of the μ+ from the π+ decay. Double differential cross sections, angular distributions, and total cross sections were obtained for four incident photon energy bins centered at 184, 194, 204, and 213 MeV. Comparisons are made to both theoretical predictions and previous data sets. Ratios of nuclear cross sections to those obtained from the proton are extracted, and the features of these ratios are discussed.