Separated cross sections in pi^0 electroproduction at threshold at Q^2 = 0.05 GeV^2/c^2

The differential cross sections sigma_0=sigma_T+epsilon sigma_L, sigma_{LT}, and sigma_{TT} of pi^0 electroproduction from the proton were measured from threshold up to an additional center of mass energy of 40 MeV, at a value of the photon four-momentum transfer of Q^2= 0.05 GeV^2/c^2 and a center of mass angle of theta=90^circ. By an additional out-of-plane measurement with polarized electrons sigma_{LT} was determined. This showed for the first time the cusp effect above the pi^+ threshold in the imaginary part of the s-wave. The predictions of Heavy Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory are in disagreement with these data. On the other hand, the data are somewhat better predicted by the MAID phenomenological model and are in good agreement with the dynamical model DMT.