Using the solenoidal magnetic detector PLUTO, we have measured the total cross section for e + e − annihilation into hadrons. Results are presented for center of mass energies between 3.6 and 4.8 GeV, and in the regions of the J ψ (3.1) and ψ(3.7) resonances. We also present results for the 2 prong cross section in the energy range 3.6 to 4.8 GeV.
We have measured the cross section σ for electron - positron annihilation into three or more hadrons, with at least two charged particles in the final state, at 5 GeV center-of-mass energy. We find a model-independent lower limit of σ>9.1±1.0nb; assuming invariant phase-space production of pions, we calculate the detection efficiency of our detector to be (45 ± 11)%, yielding a cross section σ=21±5nb. The average charged hadron multiplicity is found to be n¯=4.3±0.6.