Coherent pi(0) and eta photoproduction on the deuteron

Coherent pion photoproduction, d(gamma,pi(0))d, is calculated in a coupled channels approach in momentum space using an elementary production operator that includes Born terms, vector meson exchange, and M1/E2 Delta-resonance excitation. The final state interaction is treated in the Kerman-McManus-Thaler multiple scattering approach that describes pi d elastic scattering well. Differential cross sections are found to agree well with existing (gamma,pi(0)) data. The polarization observables Sigma,iT(11) and the tensor analyzing powers are predicted for forthcoming experiments. A number of transparent relationships between polarization observables and the elementary production operator is derived. Finally, calculations are performed for coherent eta photoproduction, d(gamma,eta)d, in the threshold region which agree well with a very recent Mainz experiment.