  Differential cross sections and photon beam asymmetries for the gamma p ->
pi+ n reaction have been measured for 0.6<cos(theta)<1 and Egamma=1.5-2.95 GeV
at SPring-8/LEPS. The cross sections monotonically decrease as the photon beam
energy increases for 0.6<cos(theta)<0.9. However, the energy dependence of the
cross sections for 0.9<cos(theta)<1 and Egamma=1.5-2.2 GeV (W=1.9-2.2 GeV) is
different, which may be due to a nucleon or Delta resonance. The present cross
sections agree well with the previous cross sections measured by other groups
and show forward peaking, suggesting significant t-channel contributions in
this kinematical region. The asymmetries are found to be positive, which can be
explained by rho-exchange in the t-channel. Large positive asymmetries in the
small |t| region, where the rho-exchange contribution becomes small, could be
explained by introducing pi-exchange interference with the s-channel.
