An experiment was done in the external proton beam of the Berkeley 184-in. cyclotron to measure the production cross sections for pions from various target nuclei, from hydrogen to lead. The cross-section data are presented and the reaction mechanisms discussed. The hydrogen production appears to fit the one-pion-exchange model.

A total of 24 360 events having two charged particles in the final state from π−+p interactions at an incident π− momentum of 2.7 GeVc have been analyzed. The final states π−π+n and π−π0p are found to be dominated by rho-meson production, and in addition, significant N*(1238) production is seen. The partial cross sections for the dominant resonant channels are σ=(pρ−)=(1.3±0.2) mb, σ(nρ0)=(2.3±0.2) mb, and σ[π−N*+(→pπ0)]=(0.5±0.2) mb. The production of the ρ− and ρ0 and the decay of the ρ− agree very well with the predictions of an absorption-modified one-pion-exchange model. The production angular distributions of the ρ0 and ρ− follow an exponential of the form Ae+Bt. The results from a least-squares fit give B(ρ−)=9.32±0.08 (GeVc)−2, B(ρ0)=10.26±0.06 (GeVc)−2. A similar analysis for the elastic-scattering events gave B(el)=7.77±0.05 (GeVc)−2. The ρ0 decay distributions are asymmetric and they have been analyzed using a simple model which includes S−P-wave interference. No clear evidence is seen for a T=0, J=0 resonance at a mass near that of the ρ. The N*(1238) resonance production is found to be in agreement with the ρ-exchange model of Stodolsky and Sakurai. Indication of other resonance production with small cross section is seen, such as A1 and A2 production in the multiple missing neutral events. The masses and widths of the ρ0 and ρ− as a function of the four-momentum transfer squared to the nucleon have been determined.

In an exposure of the Brookhaven National Laboratory 20-in. hydrogen bubble chamber to a separated π+ beam at π+ momenta of 2.35 BeV/c (center-of-mass energy E*=2.30 BeV), 2.62 BeV/c (E*=2.41 BeV), and 2.90 BeV/c (E*=2.52 BeV), we have observed production of the ω0, ρ0, and η0 mesons. The production of the ω0, ρ0, and η0 is often accompanied by simultaneous production of the N*++. The momentum transfer in ω0 and ρ0 production is characteristic of peripheral collisions and suggests a single-particle exchange for the production mechanism. The decay distributions for the ω0, ρ0, and the ρ+ demonstrate the importance of modifying the single-particle-exchange model to include absorptive effects. An upper limit on the two-π decay of the ω0 is set at 2%. The width of the η0 is found to be less than 10 MeV. Elastic-scattering distributions are presented.

A systematic survey of strange-particle final states produced by 8−BeVc protons was made in the BNL 80-in. hydrogen bubble chamber. Cross sections were measured for some 33 reactions. The ratio of the cross section for the KK¯ channels to the total strange-particle cross section was measured to be 0.12 and appears to be rising in this momentum region. The total cross section for strange-particle production is estimated as 1.8±0.2 mb. Comparison is made of the data with the predictions of the one-pion-exchange model, and at least partial agreement occurs for the K+pΛ and πKNΣ final states. The KpΣ states appear to contain N*(1924)→KΣ, and the πKNΛ states all include Y*(1385) production with the π+K0pΛ state also containing N*(1236) and K*(890) production. An examination of the five- and six-body K, Λ states indicates strong Y*(1385) and N*(1236) production. Finally, all final states containing a K and a Λ show a dependence on M(K,Λ) which is well parametrized by a Breit-Wigner shape with M0=1777 MeV and Γ=345 MeV. This behavior is interpreted as being consistent with one-pion exchange as the dominant mechanism for these reactions.

A bubble-chamber experiment in which the reaction π−+p→π+π+N was studied at a beam momentum of 2.14 BeV/c yielded 1533 and 2234 events of the final states π−π0p and π−π+n, respectively. These events are dominated by the formation of the ρ resonance, which is produced mostly in the forward direction. Both the production and decay angular distributions of the ρ− agree very well with the predictions of the one-pion exchange theory modified by absorption effects. The decay angular distribution of the ρ0 shows the well-known forward-backward asymmetry. This effect is interpretable as the result of the interference between the ρ0 and an isospin-zero s-wave π−π resonance. The production of the ρ0, in addition to its forward peak, shows a weak backward peak. Partial cross sections of various final states are also presented.

Meson production in π−p and π+n interactions at 1.7 GeV/c has been studied in two bubble-chamber exposures. Combined results are presented with emphasis on single-pion production (4300 events) which is dominated by the formation of the ρ0 meson in peripheral interactions, and on double-pion production (1100 events) which shows strong formation of the ω meson. These data are compared with the predictions of particle-exchange models, including absorption, and the effects of competing channels are discussed. Evidence for a two-pion decay mode of the ω is examined quantitatively. Processes with higher meson multiplicities are described.

Interactions of 2.08−BeVc positive pions with protons have been studied using the 20-in. hydrogen bubble chamber and the alternating gradient synchrotron at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Using 3000 elastic and 8000 inelastic events, the partial cross sections for elastic scattering and for meson production have been measured. The ρ+, ρ0, ω0, and η0 resonances are produced strongly and emerge predominantly in the forward direction in the center-of-mass system, suggesting a peripheral mechanism for their production. The possibility of explaining these reactions by specific particle-exchange models is investigated. More than 75% of the ρ0, ω0, and η0 are produced with the N33* (1238) isobar. The N* (1688) is produced in about one-third of the π+π+N final states. Cross sections for production of ρ+p, π+pω, N33*ω, π+pη, N33*η, π+pρ0, N33*ρ0, N15*π+, and N33*π0, are given. A1, B, φ, and X mesons are not observed.

An analysis of π−p two-prong interactions at 4.16 GeV/c is presented. The total two-prong cross section is 19.11±0.40 mb, based on 33 672 events. The elastic-scattering differential cross section shows an exponential behavior, Kexp(−AΔ2). With A=7.36±0.14 GeV−2, the "absorption parameters" are derived as C+=0.846±0.017 and γ+=0.040±0.001. The final-state π−π0p exhibits a strong ρ−, and the π−π+n a strong ρ0 and f0. The partial cross sections for the dominant resonant channels pρ−, π−Δ+(1236) (→pπ0), ρ0n, and f0n are 0.59±0.03, 0.17±0.01, 1.15±0.05, and 0.53±0.06 mb, respectively. The ρ− production and decay angular distributions do not agree with the predictions of the absorption-modified one-pion-exchange model. However, an inclusion of the contribution from ω exchange adequately accounts for the discrepancy. The ρ0 asymmetry is interpreted as a result of an interference of the resonant P wave and isospin-zero S wave, and the corresponding spin-density matrix elements are obtained. In the final state π−p+neutrals, a clear peak for the η meson and some evidence for the ω meson are seen.

Interactions between 4.15-Bev protons and the free hydrogen nuclei in nuclear emulsion are examined. The total elastic cross section from 27 events was determined to be 11.0±2.6 mb. On the basis of 113 interactions the total inelastic cross section was found to be 28.1±3.1 mb. The partial cross sections corresponding to inelastic collisions having two, four, six, and eight secondary particles were found to be respectively 16.3±2.4, 11.5±1.8, 0.2±0.1, and 0.1±0.1 mb. While the total inelastic cross section varies slowly with energy, the partial inelastic cross sections were found to be strongly energy dependent. The observed angular distribution of elastically scattered protons in the center-of-mass system was sharply peaked in the forward and backward directions, in fair agreement with calculations based on a simple optical model applicable for energies between 2 and 10 Bev. Particles produced in inelastic collisions were identified as pions or protons by measurements of energy loss and multiple scattering. For those particles identified, center-of-mass system distributions of energy, angle, and transverse momentum are presented.

Total (π+, p) and (p, p) cross sections in the momentum range 1.4 to 4.0 Bev/c are presented. These measurements, with an accuracy of approximately 2%, were made at the Berkeley Bevatron by using counter techniques. Pions were distinguished from protons by means of a gas-filled Čerenkov counter. The (π+, p) total cross section was found to be almost constant above 2.0 Bev/c at a value near 29 mb. The (p, p) cross section decreases gradually from 47.5 mb to 41.7 mb over the momentum range covered. Transmission measurements of π+-nucleus and p-nucleus cross sections in both good and poor geometry were made at 3.0 Bev/c. The results are compared with the predictions of the optical model. In contrast to most previous work at high energies, an essentially exact solution of the wave equation for a potential well with a diffuse edge was used. The values of the imaginary part of the optical potential that best fit the experimental data are in good agreement with the predicted values. No strong conclusion regarding the real part of the potential was possible. Absorption and total elastic scattering cross sections for Be, C, Al, and Cu are presented. The total elastic scattering cross sections from this experiment disagree with Wikner's for π−-nucleus scattering.