A large solid angle detector has been used to observe π + π − π o events produced at the φ energy by electron-positron collisions in the Orsay storage ring. Fitting our data with a Breit and Wigner curve, with a fixed width Γ = (3.8±0.4) MeV coming from K O S K O L analysis, we deduce σ e + e − → π + π − π O = (0.70±0.13) μ bat 2 E = Mφ . Using our measurements on the other φ decay modes we deduce ( φ → π + π − π o )/( φ → K o S K o L ) = 0.47±0.06 and ( φ → η o γ )/( φ → K o S K o L ) = 0.077±0.022. Assuming ( φ → K + K − )/( φ → K o S K o L ) = 1.60, we derive σ TOT = (4.7±0.4) μ b, Γ e + e − = (1.27±0.11 keV and g 2 o /4 π = 14.3±1.3 (without finite width correction). Furthermore (from the observation of the ππγ coplanar events) we put an upper limit to the mode e + e − → φ π + π − γ , Γ ( φ → π + π − γ ) ⩽ 0.007 Γ ( φ → Total ) with 90% C.L.
EXPERIMENTAL CROSS SECTIONS INCLUDING RADIATIVE EFFECTS.
FITTED PARTIAL AND TOTAL CROSS SECTION AT PHI PEAK, RADIATIVELY CORRECTED.
New results on the multihadron production by electron and positron beams colliding with a total energy of up to 3 GeV are reported. Disregarding possible kaon final states, the ratio σ mh / σ μμ of the total multihadron cross-section to the point-like cross section for process e + e − → μ + μ − has an average value of 1.58 ± 0.25 in the energy interval 2.6–3.0 GeV. The average charged multiplicity over this energy range is 〈 n c 〉 = 2.9 ± 0.3.
AT A MEAN ENERGY OF 2.85 GEV, THE AVERAGE MULTIHADRON CROSS SECTION IS 16.4 +- 2.6 NB (R = 1.58 +- 0.25).
Data were taken at the energy 2 E = 990 MeV to search for multibody events, with the same large solid angle detector which has been used for the measurement of the ϱ , ω and φ production by e + e − annilations. Assuming a π + π − π 0 π 0 production by the quasi two-body process e + e − → ϱ → ωπ 0 we give the correspondi ng cross section σ (e + e − → π + π − π 0 π 0 ) = (1.1 ± 0.5) 10 −32 cm 2 . Since no events with 3 and 4 charged pions have been observed σ (e + e − → π + π − π 0 π − ) ⩽ 1.5 × 10 −33 cm 2 .
RATIO TO MUON PAIR PRODUCTION CALCULATED FROM CROSS SECTION. INCLUDING SYSTEMATIC ERRORS.