The total proton-proton cross section (excluding Coulomb scattering) has been measured at energies from 410 Mev up to 2.6 Bev, using external beams from the Cosmotron. Fast counting equipment was used to measure the attenuation of the beams through polyethylene, carbon, and liquid H2 absorbers. At each energy E, σp−p(E, Ω) was measured as a function of the solid angle Ω subtended by the rear counter at the center of the absorber. The total cross section σp−p was obtained by a least squares straight line extrapolation to Ω=0. The measured σp−p as a function of energy rises sharply from 26.5 mb at 410 Mev to 47.8 mb at 830 Mev and then remains approximately constant out to 1.4 Bev, above which energy it decreases gradually to about 42 mb at 2.6 Bev. Using the same equipment and procedure, we have also measured the D2O-H2O difference cross section, called "σp−n," for protons over the same energy range. From a comparison of "σp−n," and σp−p, with the n−p and n−d measurements of Coor et al. at 1.4 Bev, it is apparent that one nucleon is "shielded" by the other in the deuteron. This effect is not present at energies below 410 Mev. Comparing the measured p−p and "p−n" (corrected) cross sections with the results of other high-energy experiments, one may infer the following conclusions: (1) The sharp rise in σp−p from 400 to 800 Mev results from increasing single pion production, which may proceed through the T=32, J=32 excited nucleon state. (2) Above 1 Bev the inelastic (meson production) p−p cross section appears to be approximately saturated at 27-29 mb. (3) The rise in cross section for n−p interaction in the T=0 state, associated with the rise in double pion production, implies that double meson production also proceeds through the T=32 nucleon state. (4) The probable equality of σp−d and σn−d at 1.4 Bev implies the validity of charge symmetry at this energy.

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.

We measured elastic-scattering angular distributions for π++p scattering at 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 BeV/c using spark chambers to detect scattered pions and protons. A bump that decreases in amplitude with increasing momentum is observed in the backward hemisphere in the 1.5- and 2.0-BeV/c distributions, but is not observed in the 2.5-BeV/c distributions. It appears reasonable to attribute this phenomenon to the 1.45-BeV/c resonance observed in the π++p total cross section. The data are compared with π−+p data and are found to support the theoretical prediction that the scattering cross sections for both charge states should become equal at high energies. We fit the angular distributions with a power series in cosθ*, and compare the extrapolated values for the scattering cross section in the backward direction with the calculation of the neutron-exchange pole contribution to the cross section. The "elementary" neutron-pole term contribution is calculated to be 90 mb/sr at 2.0 BeV/c, in violent disagreement with the extrapolated value, ≈0.5 mb/sr.

Measurements have been made of the total cross sections σ(p−p) and σ(p−d) over the laboratory momentum range 1.1 to 8 GeV/c, with relative errors of 0.1%. The absolute accuracies of these cross sections are limited to 0.3% by lack of information which will allow the Coulomb-nuclear interference to be calculated accurately. Values of the total cross sections σ(p−n) and σ(I=0) are deduced by assuming the Glauber correction. Structure is observed in σ(p−p) near a mass value of 2.75 GeV/c2; its interpretation is discussed. σ(I=0) rises rapidly in the range 2.3 to 2.9 GeV/c2, and this is attributed to the onset of strong inelastic scattering.

Total cross sections of π+ and π− mesons on protons and deuterons have been measured in a transmission experiment to relative accuracies of ±0.2% over the laboratory momentum range 0.46-2.67 GeV/c. The systematic error is estimated to be about ±0.5% over most of the range, increasing to about ±2% near both ends. Data have been obtained at momentum intervals of 25-50 MeV/c with a momentum resolution of ±0.6%. No new structure is observed in the π±p total cross sections, but results differ in several details from previous experiments. From 1-2 GeV/c, where systematic erros are the smallest, the total cross section of π− mesons on deuterons is found to be consistently higher than that of π+ mesons by (1.3±0.3)%; about half of this difference may be understood in terms of Coulomb-barrier effects. The πd and πN total cross sections are used to check the validity of the Glauber theory. Substantial disagreements (up to 2 mb) are observed, and the conclusion is drawn that the Glauber theory is inadequate in this momentum range.

We have studied neutral final states produced in π−p collisions at momenta of 1.71, 1.89, 2.07, 2.27, and 2.46 GeVc, by observing the γ rays emitted. In particular, measurements are presented of (i) π−p→π0n, for which the Regge-pole fit at momenta ≥5.9 GeVc also agrees rather well here; (ii) π−p→η0n, for which the Regge model which fits at higher energies does not agree here; (iii) π−p→π0γn, in which there is some evidence for a diffraction dissociation process as well as ω0-meson production; (iv) π−p→π0π0n, which is dominated by production of N*0(1236)π0 and by peripheral production of pion pairs. In (iv), the former process is found to fit with the same Reggeized ρ-meson exchange model as charge-exchange scattering, while the latter gives indication of the s-wave ππ interaction. An account is given of new techniques, particularly in the data analysis, which were developed in the course of this work.

Total cross sections of K± and p¯ on hydrogen and deuterium were measured in a standard transmission experiment with statistical precisions of the order of 0.05-0.25%. Data were obtained in the momentum range 2.45-3.30 GeV/c for K−N, 1.55-3.30 GeV/c for K+N, and 1.00-3.30 GeV/c for p¯N. Cross sections for the pure isotopic spin states are obtained using a procedure for the deuterium data which takes into account Fermi motion and the shadow effect. Evidence for the following new structures was found: Y1*(2455), Y1*(2620), Y0*(2585), Z1*(2150), Z1*(2500), π1*(2290), π1*(2350), and π0*(2375).

The total and elastic cross sections for antineutrons on protons have been measured for antineutron momenta from 0.5 to 2.5 GeV/c. The results are in agreement with previous p¯p data at these momenta.

We have made improved measurements of 43.8 ± 0.8, 41.3 ± 0.4 and 39.3 ± 0.8 mb for the p p elastic cross sections at 1.11, 1.33 and 1.52 GeV/ c laboratory momenta respectively. Sharp forward peaks in the differential cross sections with broad secondary maxima agree with previous observations [3–6]. The forward differential cross sections are (11 ± 3)% above the optical point in agreement with real amplitudes extended from lower momenta using dispersion relations [7]. The elastic cross sections do not show any structure in the s -channel. Backward differential cross sections show the onset of a “third diffraction peak” but no evidence for other structure in agreement with earlier experiments [6, 13].

Total and differential cross sections are presented for the reaction KL 0p→KS 0p from 1.3 to 8.0 GeVc as measured in an exposure of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center 40-in. hydrogen bubble chamber to a neutral beam. The forward points of dσ(KL 0p→KS 0p)dt together with K+n and K−n total cross sections are used to determine the intercept of the effective Regge trajectory, α(0)=0.47±0.09, and the regeneration phase ϕf=−43∘±8∘.