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.

Results on multiplicities, topological cross sections, total particle production cross sections, and correlations between charged particle and π 0 production are presented for pp interactions at 12 and 24 GeV/ c incident laboratory momentum. Inclusive production of π ± , K s 0 , p , Λ, Σ ± and Λ is studied; particle spectra are shown in single and double differential form and are compared, in different kinematic regions, with data obtained at other incident momenta and with other beam particles.

A strong negative transverse polarization P z is found for forward produced lambdas observed in 10 and 16 GeV/ c K − p interactions. This indicates that exchanges of natural spin-parity are dominant in the production process. Using the polarization results, the d σ d u′ distributions for natural and unnatural spin-parity exchanges are derived. For unnatural exchanges, a dip is observed at u ′≅0.3 GeV 2 , which can be explained as a nonsense-wrong-signature zero of the N β trajectory. The value of P z for forward producted lambdas is constant with energy. This is in agreement with the triple-Regge model prediction, as is the fact that P z is constant as a function of M 2 s . The two non-transverse polarization components, P x and P y , have been measured and are found to be consistent with zero for all x values, unlike P z .

The reactions p p → K ∗ (890) X , p p →Σ ± (1385) X and p p → S ∗ (993) X at 12 GeV/ c incident momentum have been studied using 19 000 events with a visible V 0 decay in BEBC. Inclusive production cross sections of these resonances as a function of transverse momentum and rapidity are presented. The contribution of annihilation to the production of the K ∗ (890) is investigated from a comparison with the corresponding pp data.

The inclusive production of K̄ ∗ (890) and K̄ ∗ (1420) is studied in K̄ − p interactions at 10 and 16 GeV/ c . At 10 GeV/ c an enhancement in the ( K ̄ 0 π − ) mass distribution is found at 1.74 GeV, but no clear signal is seen at 16 GeV/ c . The fraction of K 0 ' s coming from decay of the K ∗ (890) or K ∗ (1420) is large, being (50 ± 6)% and (45 ± 5)% at 10 and 16 GeV/ c , respectively. The inclusive cross sections for K ∗− (890) and K ∗0 (890) production are almost constant with energy from 8 to 32 GeV/ c with values of 3.5 and 3.3 mb, respectively. The K ∗ (890) production cross section is studied as a function of transverse and longitudinal variables and found to derive mainly from fragmentation of the incident K − meson. The spectra of K 0 ' s resulting from the decay of K ∗ (890) are studied.

Inclusive production of Λ and Λ in K + p interactions is studied at incident momenta of 8.2 and 16.0 GeV/ c . Cross sections and single-particle distributions are presented, the correlation between longitudinal and transverse momentum is investigated, and the dependence of average charge multiplicity on missing mass measured. For Λ production, early scaling is observed in the target fragmentation region when the data are presented in terms of ( M 2 - M th 2 )/ s and t , where M th is the threshold value of the missing mass M . Furthermore, a triple-Regge analysis in these variable yields an effective exchange trajectory which passes through the K, Q and L mesons. There is evidence for beam fragmentation in Λ and Λ production, but the contributions seem not to be dominant in the fragmentation region. Nevertheless, the parameter values in a triple-Regge description are estimated, and together with those for target fragmentation in Λ production, provide a complete description of the fragmentation contributions to the two reactions. Integration of the resultant distribution functions over the complete Chew-Low plot yields fragmentation cross sections increasing approximately as log s ; in addition the observed features of the x , p L and p T 2 projections and of the p L - p T correlation are well-described in the fragmentation regions. Central production contributions are isolated by subtracting the calculated fragmentation distributions

The reaction K + p→ Δ ++ (1236)+ anything is studied at beam momenta 8.2 and 16 GeV/ c and compared with other Δ ++ producing reactions. We find that the low-mass Δ ++ π − enhancement affects the shapes of Δ ++ inclusive distributions. The triple-Regge formula is found to be consistent with the data. Dual properties of this formula are successfully tested.

Results are presented on the inclusive reactions p p → K 0 X , p p → Λ X and p p → Λ X at an incident antiproton momentum of 12 GeV/ c in BEBC. The cross sections are studied as functions of the Feynman scaling variable x , the rapidity, the transverse momentum of the V 0 and the missing mass squared. The dependence of the Λ and Λ polarization on x are also studied. Comparisons with proton-proton data at 12 GeV/ c are also made. Finally, events with two detected V 0 are analyzed in order to study correlations arising from the production of two strange neutral particles.

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.

Elastic scattering, single-pion and deuteron production have been investigated. The cross-section for elastic scattering is σelastic = (13.5±0.3) mb. The angular distribution has been fitted to dσ/d|t|=(dσ/d|t|)0 e −bt in the region of low values oft. The best fit givesb=(6.7±0.5) (GeV/c)−2 and (dσ/d|t|)0=(91±5) mb(GeV/c)−2. The cross-sections for ppπ0, pnπ+ reactions are respectively (2.6±0.3) mb and (9.7±0.4) mb. These reactions are dominated by the (3/2, 3/2) nucleonpion isobar production and by forward backward collimation of the nucleons. The production rates for the isobars ++1238 , +1238 , +1500 have been estimated, taking into account the experimental peripheral behaviour of the interaction. In the pnπ+ reaction they are (50±2)%; (10±3)%; (4±3)%. In the ppπ+ reaction the production of ++1238 is estimated to be (45±10)%. The dπ+ and dπ+π+π- reaction cross-sections are respectively (0.03±0.01) mb, and (0.04±0.01) mb.