The production of KS, Λ, Λ¯, and γ in π−p collisions at 147 GeV/c is analyzed. Cross sections, rapidity, Feynman-x, and pT2 distributions are presented and compared to charged-particle production. The energy dependence of multiplicities in π−p and pp collisions is shown. A new scaling form for the correlation of neutral- and charged-particle multiplicities is presented for compilations of πp and pp data.
The experimentally determined average charged-particle multiplicities, 〈nX〉, of the systems, X, produced in the following reactions for 147 GeV/c incident pion momentum are presented as functions of the square of the invariant mass of X, MX2, and of |t|:π−p→πfast−X, π−p→pX, π−p→Δ++X, π−p→(π−π+)ρ0X, and π−p→Λ0X. Details of the analysis are discussed. These data can be fit by the expression 〈nX〉=A+B ln MX2+C|t| and the coefficients obtained for B are equal within their uncertainties. C is significantly different from zero only for π−p→πfast−X. These results and 〈nX〉 data from other inclusive and total-inelastic-reaction studies are discussed in terms of a simple model which assumes contributions to 〈nX〉 from the target-fragmentation, the central, and the beam-fragmentation regions in the case of total-inelastic reactions. For inclusive reactions, either the beam or target fragmentation is replaced by an exchange-particle-fragmentation contribution. The s, t, and MX2 dependence of the parameters of the model are deduced from triple-Regge considerations. The data are found to be consistent with the model and values are presented for the parameters.
We have used the Fermilab 30-in. bubble-chamber-hybrid spectrometer to study neutral-strange-particle production in the interactions of 200-GeV/c protons and π+ and K+ mesons with nuclei of gold, silver, and magnesium. Average multiplicities and inclusive cross sections for K0 and Λ are measured, and a power law is found to give a good description of their A dependence. The exponent characterizing the A dependence is consistent with being the same for K0 and Λ production, and also the same for proton and π+ beams. Average K0 and Λ multiplicities, as well as their ratio, have been measured as functions of the numbers of projectile collisions νp and secondary collisions νs in the nucleus, and indicate that rescattering contributes significantly to enhancement of Λ production but not to K0 production. The properties of events with multiple K0's or Λ's also corroborate this conclusion. K0 rapidities are in the central region and decrease gently with increasing νp, while Λ rapidities are in the target-fragmentation region and are independent of νp. K0 and Λ multiplicities increase with the rapidity loss of the projectile, but their rapidities do not.
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