Measurement of the Compton scattering process $e\gamma \to eZ/\gamma^{*}$ at LEP2

The process e gamma to eZ/ gamma * is studied in e/sup +/e/sup -/ collisions with the OPAL detector at LEP at a centre of mass energy of square root (s)=189 GeV. The cross-section times the branching ratio of the Z/ gamma * decaying into hadrons is measured within Lorentz invariant kinematic limits to be (4.6+or-0.9+or-0.6) pb for hadronic masses between 5 GeV and 60 GeV and (1.5+or-0.3+or-0.3) pb for hadronic masses above 60 GeV. The spectra of the Mandelstam variables s, t, and u are also measured and compared with the predictions from the Monte Carlo generators grc4f and PYTHIA. (8 refs).