Double pion photoproduction off nucleons in covariant chiral perturbation theory

Abstract: The double pion photoproduction off nucleons near threshold is analyzed in a covariant baryon chiral perturbation theory up to next to leading order, where the $\Delta(1232)$, $N^*(1400)$ and $\rho(770)$ resonances are included as explicit degrees of freedom. For the process $\gamma p \to \pi^+ \pi^0 n$, the chiral results of total cross sections, invariant-mass distributions and beam-helicity asymmetry are in good agreement with the experimental data within uncertainties. For the process $\gamma p \to \pi^0 \pi^0 p$, the prediction of total cross section deviates from the existing experimental data. Once the final-state interaction of $\pi \pi$ in the isoscalar S-wave channel is taken into account, a good description of the cross section is achieved. The effect of the Roper resonance always turns out be negligible, and hence can be thrown away in future study of this process.