  The first data from MAX-lab in Lund, Sweden on pion production in
photonuclear reactions at threshold energies, is presented. The decrease of the
total yield of pi+ in gamma + 12C, 27Al reactions below 200 MeV as well as
differential, dsigma/dOmega, cross sections follow essentially predictions from
an intranuclear cascade model with an attractive potential for pion-nucleus
interaction in its simplest form. Double differential, d2sigma/dOmegadT, cross
sections at 176 MeV show, however, deviations from the model, which call for
refinements of nuclear and Coulomb potentials and possibly also for coherent
pion production mechanisms.
