Approximately 60 000 events have been collected in a spark chamber experiment at the CERN Proton Synchrotron which studied elastic diffraction scattering of π--p and p-p at incident momenta of 8.5, 12.4 and 18.4 GeV/c and of π+-p at 8.5 and 12.4 GeV/c. Magnetic analysis of the incoming and diffraction scattered particle, together with measurement of all angles, permitted each event to be determined as elastic subject to three constraints, so that the inelastic background was rejected with. high efficiency, even at the larger momentum, transfers. Much of the data have been processed by the CERN Automatic Flying-Spot DigitizerHPD. A detailed description of the experimental technique and of the methods of analysis is given. The results, together with data from lower energies, confirm the remarkable energy-independence of the shape of the pion-proton diffraction scattering peak up to |t| = 1.5 (GeV/c)2, wheret is the square of the four-momentum transfer, over a range of pion energies from 2 to 18 GeV. Proton-proton scattering does however appear to show a shrinking diffraction peak. In general, the data agree with other experiments using both counter and bubble chamber techniques, but some differences do appear. During the experiment, data were taken which set an upper limit of 2·102 μb/(GeV/c)2 on the differential elastic cross-section dσ/dt over a range of |t| from 20.9 to 23.4 (GeV/c)2 at 13.4 GeV/c incident pion momentum.

The polarization parameter in proton-proton scattering has been measured at incident proton kinetic energies of 1.7, 2.85, 3.5, 4.0, 5.05, and 6.15 BeV and for four-momentum transfer squared between 0.1 and 1.0 (BeV/c)2. The experiment was done with an unpolarized proton beam from the Bevatron striking a polarized proton target. Both final-state protons were detected in coincidence and the asymmetry in counting rate for target protons polarized parallel and antiparallel to the scattering normal was measured. The maximum polarization was observed to decrease from 0.4 at 1.7 BeV to 0.2 at 6.1 BeV. The maximum of the polarization at all energies studied occurs at a four-momentum transfer squared of 0.3 to 0.4 (BeV/c)2.

Measurements of the polarization in pp elastic scattering have been made at 5.15 GeV/c over the range −t=0.2 to 1.8 (GeV/c)2. The data are compared with a Regge-pole model, and with the diffraction model of Durand and Lipes in which the absorptive part of the pp interaction is derived from the electromagnetic form factor of the proton. The latter model reproduces the t dependence of the experimental data in a qualitative way.

About 10 000 two-prong events of 8.1 GeV/ c proton-proton interactions in the CERN 2 m. bubble chamber have been analyzed. We study elastic scattering and single-pion production reactions. We give cross sections for isobar production. We attempt to interpret the general features of the pp→pn π + reaction by the Deck mechanism. We compare the production and the decay of δ ++ (1236) with absorption or π Regge trajectory exchange models.

Experimental results are presented for the polarization parameter P 0 in π ± p , K ± p , pp, and p ̄ p elastic scattering at 6 GeV/ c , and in the range of the invariant four-momentum transfer squared − t from 0.05 to ∼ 2.0 (GeV/ c ) 2 .

Data on the polarization parameter in pp elastic scattering in the | t |-range from ∼0.1 to ∼ 2.9 (GeV/ c ) 2 and at 10, 14 and 17.5 GeV/ c are presented.

The slope b(s) of the forward diffraction peak of p−p elastic scattering has been measured in the momentum-transfer-squared range 0.005≲|t|≲0.09 (GeV/c)2 and at incident proton energies from 8 to 400 GeV. We find that b(s) increases with s, and in the interval 100≲s≲750 (GeV)2 it can be fitted by the form b(s)=b0+2α′lns with b0=8.23±0.27, α′=0.278±0.024 (GeV/c)−2.

As part of a program to determine proton-proton elastic-scattering amplitudes, we have measured the spin-spin correlation parameter CNN at 6 GeV/c. Measurements were made over the |t| range of 0.08 to 1.4 (GeV/c)2 using a polarized beam and a polarized target at the Argonne National Laboratory Zero Gradient Synchrotron.

Angular distributions of π + and K + p elastic scattering have been measured for an incident beam momentum of 10.0 GeV/ c . For π + p elastic scattering almost the complete angular distribution was measured. The angular distribution of proton-proton elastic scattering was measured for an incident momentum of 9.0 GeV/ c in the interval of the four-momentum transfer squared from 0.7 (GeV/ c ) 2 to 5.0 (GeV/ v ) 2 . For π + p elastic scattering the structures at − t = 2.8 (GeV/ c ) 2 and − t = 4.8 (GeV/ c ) 2 are less pronounced than at lower momenta. The cross section for scattering at 90° in the c.m. system is of the order of 1 nb/GeV/ c ) 2 . For K + p elastic scattering is a break in the angular distribution around − t = 3 (GeV/ c ) 2 . The differential cross sections for proton-proton elastic scattering decrease smoothly with increasing momentum transfers.

Differential cross sections for elastic p−p scattering have been measured at 285, 348, 398, 414, 455, 497, 530, and 572 MeV kinetic energy. The experiment was performed at the CERN synchrocyclotron, using multiwire proportional chambers placed directly in a proton beam. Scattering was observed for 1.5°≲θ≲10° in the laboratory system. The ratio αp of the real and imaginary parts of the non-spin-flip nuclear forward amplitude was derived from the interference between the Coulomb and nuclear amplitudes. The values obtained are model-dependent, but in this energy range αp is positive and decreases with energy. Qualitatively good agreement with dispersion-relation predictions is observed.