Measurement of the beam-helicity asymmetry in the p(e_pol,ep)pi_0 reaction at the energy of the Delta(1232) resonance

In a p(e_pol,ep)pi_0 out-of-plane coincidence experiment at the 3-spectrometer setup of the Mainz Microtron MAMI, the beam-helicity asymmetry has been precisely measured around the energy of the Delta(1232) resonance and Q^2 = 0.2 (GeV/c)^2. The results are in disagreement with three up-to-date model calculations. This is interpreted as lack of understanding of the non-resonant background, which in dynamical models is related to the pion cloud.