First measurements of the W -> lnu and Z/gamma* -> ll (l = e, mu) production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV are presented using data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The results are based on 2250 W -> lnu and 179 Z/gamma* -> ll candidate events selected from a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 320 nb-1. The measured total W and Z/gamma*-boson production cross sections times the respective leptonic branching ratios for the combined electron and muon channels are $\stotW$ * BR(W -> lnu) = 9.96 +- 0.23(stat) +- 0.50(syst) +- 1.10(lumi) nb and $\stotZg$ * BR(Z/gamma* -> ll) = 0.82 +- 0.06(stat) +- 0.05(syst) +- 0.09(lumi) nb (within the invariant mass window 66 < m_ll < 116 GeV). The W/Z cross-section ratio is measured to be 11.7 +- 0.9(stat) +- 0.4(syst). In addition, measurements of the W+ and W- production cross sections and of the lepton charge asymmetry are reported. Theoretical predictions based on NNLO QCD calculations are found to agree with the measurements.

We have used the Fermilab 30-in. bubble-chamber-hybrid spectrometer to study neutral-strange-particle production in the interactions of 200-GeV/c protons and π+ and K+ mesons with nuclei of gold, silver, and magnesium. Average multiplicities and inclusive cross sections for K0 and Λ are measured, and a power law is found to give a good description of their A dependence. The exponent characterizing the A dependence is consistent with being the same for K0 and Λ production, and also the same for proton and π+ beams. Average K0 and Λ multiplicities, as well as their ratio, have been measured as functions of the numbers of projectile collisions νp and secondary collisions νs in the nucleus, and indicate that rescattering contributes significantly to enhancement of Λ production but not to K0 production. The properties of events with multiple K0's or Λ's also corroborate this conclusion. K0 rapidities are in the central region and decrease gently with increasing νp, while Λ rapidities are in the target-fragmentation region and are independent of νp. K0 and Λ multiplicities increase with the rapidity loss of the projectile, but their rapidities do not.

The coherent production of π and ρ mesons in νμ (ν¯μ)-neon charged-current interactions has been studied using the Fermilab 15-foot bubble chamber filled with a heavy Ne-H2 mix and exposed to the Tevatron quadrupole triplet (anti)neutrino beam. The νμ (ν¯μ) beam had an average energy of 80 GeV (70 GeV). From a sample corresponding to approximately 28 000 charged-current interactions, net signals of (53±9) μ±π∓ coherent events and (19±7) μ±π∓π0 coherent events are extracted. For E>10 GeV, the coherent pion production cross section is determined to be (3.2±0.7)×10−38 cm2 per neon nucleus whereas the coherent ρ production cross section is (2.1±0.8)×10−38 cm2 per neon nucleus. These cross sections and the kinematical characteristics of the coherent events at |t|<0.1 GeV2 are found to be in general agreement with the predictions of a model based on the hadron dominance and, in the pion case, on the partially conserved axial-vector current hypothesis. Also discussed is the coherent production of systems consisting of three pions.

The experimentally determined average charged-particle multiplicities, 〈nX〉, of the systems, X, produced in the following reactions for 147 GeV/c incident pion momentum are presented as functions of the square of the invariant mass of X, MX2, and of |t|:π−p→πfast−X, π−p→pX, π−p→Δ++X, π−p→(π−π+)ρ0X, and π−p→Λ0X. Details of the analysis are discussed. These data can be fit by the expression 〈nX〉=A+B ln MX2+C|t| and the coefficients obtained for B are equal within their uncertainties. C is significantly different from zero only for π−p→πfast−X. These results and 〈nX〉 data from other inclusive and total-inelastic-reaction studies are discussed in terms of a simple model which assumes contributions to 〈nX〉 from the target-fragmentation, the central, and the beam-fragmentation regions in the case of total-inelastic reactions. For inclusive reactions, either the beam or target fragmentation is replaced by an exchange-particle-fragmentation contribution. The s, t, and MX2 dependence of the parameters of the model are deduced from triple-Regge considerations. The data are found to be consistent with the model and values are presented for the parameters.

The production of KS, Λ, Λ¯, and γ in π−p collisions at 147 GeV/c is analyzed. Cross sections, rapidity, Feynman-x, and pT2 distributions are presented and compared to charged-particle production. The energy dependence of multiplicities in π−p and pp collisions is shown. A new scaling form for the correlation of neutral- and charged-particle multiplicities is presented for compilations of πp and pp data.

For the reaction π−N→V0X, where V0 is a Ks0, Λ, and Λ¯ and X are charged particles, we measured the transverse- and longitudinal-momentum distributions, and inclusive cross sections for the V0 and for K*±(892), Σ±(1385), and Ξ±(1321). We compare our results with predictions of quark-counting rules, and conclude that valence quarks play an important role in strange-particle production.

The production of φ-meson pairs has been observed in 400-GeV/c proton-nucleon interactions at the Fermilab multiparticle spectrometer in the inclusive reaction pN→φφ+X, where each φ decays to a K+K− pair. A fast (200 nsec) high-level processor was used to selectively trigger on events containing two pairs of oppositely charged kaons having low invariant masses. The experimental apparatus and trigger processor are described. The cross section for φφ production and an upper limit for ηc production are presented.

The diffractive dissociation of a 200-GeV/c π− beam into KS0KS0π+π−π− has been observed. The diffractive KS0KS0π+π−π− cross section is 1.59±0.78 μb. The ratio of the diffractive KS0KS0π+π−π− cross section to the diffractive KS0KS0π− cross section is 0.40±0.13, which is in good agreement with a diffractive-fragmentation-model prediction of 0.36. There is evidence for simultaneous production of K*− and K*+ in the diffractive KS0KS0π+π−π− sample. The K*+−KS0π−+ mass distribution shows an enhancement near 1.95 GeV.

This paper analyzes π−N→π−π−π+N events from Fermilab experiment E-580, using 200-GeV/c particles on a segmented target of plastic scintillator. Starting with 48 657 triggers, data-quality cuts and a cut on missing mass squared of M2<16 GeV2 lead to a final sample of 7205 events. The xF distribution of the 3π system shows almost all events in a sharp peak at xF=1, suggesting the presence of beam diffraction into three pions. The overall t’ distribution is fit to the sum of three exponential terms corresponding to coherent diffraction from carbon nuclei, diffraction from individual nucleons, and background. Cross sections per nucleon and exponential slopes are reported for each of the three components as a function of 3π effective mass. The cross section for diffraction from the nucleons in the target is 0.34±0.04 mb/nucleon. The cross section for coherent diffraction from carbon is 1.08±0.12 mb/nucleus. The exponential slope for diffraction is observed to decrease with increasing 3π effective mass. The fraction of coherent carbon diffraction in the total cross section is observed to decrease with increasing 3π effective mass. In the π−π+ effective-mass spectrum the ρ0(770) and f0(1270) are observed and their cross sections per nucleon are calculated. In the π−π−π+ effective-mass spectrum the A1−/A2− and A3− enhancements are observed and a cross section for the A3− is calculated.

The reaction π−N→KS0KS0π−N′ at 200 GeV/c has been observed with a sensitivity of 450±150 events/μb. The KS0KS0π− system exhibits substantial K*−(890)K0 production. Also produced are f0(1270)π−, f′(1515)π−, and K*−(1430)K0 final states. These resonances occur predominantly at threshold. The diffractive KS0KS0π− cross section is 3.4±1.1 μb. An enhancement near the A3−(1680) is observed in the KS0KS0π− invariant-mass distribution.