Laser Compton polarimetry of proton beams

A need exists for non-destructive polarization measurements of the polarized proton beams in the AGS and, in the future, in RHIC. One way to make such measurements is to scatter photons from the polarized beams. Until now, such measurements were impossible because of the extremely low Compton scattering cross section from protons. Modem lasers now can provide enough photons per laser pulse not only to scatter from proton beams but also, at least in RHIC, to analyze their polarization