Elastic differential cross sections were measured at 6 energies between 2.3 and 6 BeVc for π++p and π−+p. The behavior of the secondary peak as a function of energy and charge is shown. Evidence for considerable resonance structure is seen in the angular distributions.

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.

An extensive investigation of antiproton-proton interactions at 5.7 GeV/c without strange-particle production was carried out using a hydrogen bubble chamber. Cross-sections for different channels are given and discussed. The reliability of the analysis was checked using artificially generated events. The cross-sections for elastic scattering, for all processes involving annihilation, and for all other inelastic processes are respectively σel=(16.3±0.6)mb,σannlbil=(22.5±2.0)mb, σinel=(24.8±2.0)mb. TheN * 1:38 is present both in the single and multiple pion production channels. For the reaction MediaObjects/11539_2007_Article_BF02720569_f1.jpg a cross-section of (1.05±0.21) mb was obtained. Cross-sections forN * 1238 production in other channels are also given. Some indication of the presence ofI=1/2 isobars was found in the nucleon-pion and the nucleon-two-pion systems. The inelastic nonannihilation reactions were found to be strongly peripheral. The one-pion exchange model including either a form factor or corrections for absorption was applied to the reaction MediaObjects/11539_2007_Article_BF02720569_f2.jpg . Neither version of the model could correctly account for all features of the reaction. The average number of pions in the annihilation was found to be 7.3±0.6. The presence of an asymmetry in the angular distribution of the charged pions was confirmed at this energy; it is due mostly to high-energy pions. The production of ρ and ω mesons was observed in various annihilation channels. Rates of up to 80% for ρ production and up to 15% for ω production were obtained by fitting phase-space and Breit-Wigner curves to the effective-mass distributions of different channels.

A bubble chamber investigation of π−+p elastic scattering at 1 200 MeV (K.E.) is reported. The total and differential cross-sections are determined. By extrapolation of the angular distribution, the 0° cross-section is derived and compared with the results obtained with the help of the dispersion relations and the optical theorem. The forward peak is investigated in terms of diffraction scattering and a value for the optical radius is derived.

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.

Measurements of π±p elastic differential cross-sections have been performed in the forward direction, using a missing-mass spark chamber spectrometer. The films have been seanned by an automatic apparatus. A phase-shift analysis of the experimental data has been done, leading to three solutions. Various experiments are proposed in order to resolve the ambiguities.

The differential cross-section for elastic charge-exchange scattering of neutrons on protons has been measured at 8 GeV/c over forward laboratory scattering angles (0÷90) mrad (square of four-momentum transfer 0<−t<0.5 (GeV/c)2). The method utilized acoustic spark chambers and about 1900 elastic-scattering events were analysed. A value of (dσ/dΩ)lab=(20±6) mb/sr (dσ/dt=(0.93±0.28) mb/(GeV/c)2) was obtained for the forward differential cross-section and an estimated (0.06±0.03) mb for the elastic charge exchange cross-section. Both cross-sections show the decreased values expected from Pomeranchuk’s second theorem (1) when compared with results at lower energies (2). Further comparison shows that the narrow forward peak in the distribution of dσ/dt previously observed for −t<0.05, is still present at 8 GeV/c, varying in shape only slowly, if at all, with energy. For −t>0.1 however, energy dependence is apparent. The results also suggest that the interaction is spin-dependent and/or that the real parts of the scattering amplitudes in the isospin states 0 and 1 are different. Comparisons with the theoretical predictions show good agreement with the value of forward cross-section given by the Regge pole approach ofAhmadzadeh (3). The model ofRingland andPhillips (4) for single-pion exchange with absorption agrees with our results for −t<0.01 but a predicted secondary peak at −t∼0.08 is not observed.

Approximately 60 000 events have been collected in a spark chamber experiment at the CERN Proton Synchrotron which studied elastic diffraction scattering of π--p and p-p at incident momenta of 8.5, 12.4 and 18.4 GeV/c and of π+-p at 8.5 and 12.4 GeV/c. Magnetic analysis of the incoming and diffraction scattered particle, together with measurement of all angles, permitted each event to be determined as elastic subject to three constraints, so that the inelastic background was rejected with. high efficiency, even at the larger momentum, transfers. Much of the data have been processed by the CERN Automatic Flying-Spot DigitizerHPD. A detailed description of the experimental technique and of the methods of analysis is given. The results, together with data from lower energies, confirm the remarkable energy-independence of the shape of the pion-proton diffraction scattering peak up to |t| = 1.5 (GeV/c)2, wheret is the square of the four-momentum transfer, over a range of pion energies from 2 to 18 GeV. Proton-proton scattering does however appear to show a shrinking diffraction peak. In general, the data agree with other experiments using both counter and bubble chamber techniques, but some differences do appear. During the experiment, data were taken which set an upper limit of 2·102 μb/(GeV/c)2 on the differential elastic cross-section dσ/dt over a range of |t| from 20.9 to 23.4 (GeV/c)2 at 13.4 GeV/c incident pion momentum.

The interactions of 775 MeV (kinetic energy) π−-mesons in a hydrogen bubble chamber have been studied. Total and partial crosssections have been determined with the following results: σ (total) = (39.0±1.6) mb, σ (elastic)=(14.8±0.7) mb, σ (π− + p → all neutrals) = (9.0 ± 0.5) mb, σ (π− + p = π− + π+ + n) = (9.8 ± 0.5) mb, and σ (π− + p = π− + p + π0) = (4.8 ± 0.3) mb. The elastic-scattering angular distribution has been fitted with a Legendre polynomial series terminated at the fifth order. Various angular and effective-mass distributions of single-π production are presented and discussed in terms of the Olsson-Yodh and O.P.E. models.

Report on the investigation of interactions in π−p collisions at a pion momentum of 1.59 GeV/c, by means of the 50 cm Saclay liquid hydrogen bubble chamber, operating in a magnetic field of 17.5 kG. The results obtained concern essentially the elastic scattering and the inelastic scattering accompanied by the production of either a single pion in π−p→ pπ−π0 and nπ−π+ interactions, or by more than one pion in four-prong events. The observed angular distribution for the elastic scattering in the diffraction region, can be approximated by an exponential law. From the extrapolated value, thus obtained for the forward scattering, one gets σel= (9.65±0.30) mb. Effective mass spectra of π−π0 and π−π+ dipions are given in case of one-pion production. Each of them exhibits the corresponding ρ− or ρ0 resonances in the region of ∼ 29μ2 (μ = mass of the charged pion). The ρ peaks are particularly conspicuous for low momentum transfer (Δ2) events. The ρ0 distribution presents a secondary peak at ∼31μ2 due probably to the ω0 → π−π+ process. The branching ratio (ω0→ π+π−)/(ω0→ π+π− 0) is estimated to be ∼ 7%. The results are fairly well interpreted in the frame of the peripheral interaction according to the one-pion exchange (OPE) model, Up to values of Δ2/μ2∼10. In particular, the ratio ρ−/ρ0 is of the order of 0.5, as predicted by this model. Furthermore, the distribution of the Treiman-Yang angle is compatible with an isotropic one inside the ρ. peak. The distribution of\(\sigma _{\pi ^ + \pi ^ - } \), as calculated by the use of the Chew-Low formula assumed to be valid in the physical region of Δ2, gives a maximum which is appreciably lower than the value of\(12\pi \tilde \lambda ^2 = 120 mb\) expected for a resonant elastic ππ scattering in a J=1 state at the peak of the ρ. However, a correcting factor to the Chew-Low formula, introduced by Selleri, gives a fairly good agreement with the expected value. Another distribution, namely the Δ2 distribution, at least for Δ2 < 10 μ2, agrees quite well with the peripheral character of the interaction involving the ρ resonance. π− angular distributions in the rest frame of the ρ exhibit a different behaviour for the ρ− and for the ρ0. Whereas the first one is symmetrical, as was already reported in a previous paper, the latter shows a clear forward π− asymmetry. The main features of the four-prong results are: 1) the occurrence of the 3/2 3/2 (ρπ+) isobar in π−p → pπ+π−π− events and 2) the possible production of the ω0→ π+π−π0 resonance in π−p→ pπ−π+π−π0 events. No ρ’s were observed in four-prong events.