The measurement of $K^{*}(892)^0$ resonance production via its $K^{+}\pi^{-}$ decay mode in inelastic p+p collisions at beam momentum 158 GeV/$c$ ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}=17.3$ GeV) is presented. The data were recorded by the NA61/SHINE hadron spectrometer at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron. The $\textit{template}$ method was used to extract the $K^{*}(892)^0$ signal and double differential transverse momentum and rapidity spectra were obtained. The full phase-space mean multiplicity of $K^{*}(892)^0$ mesons was found to be $(78.44 \pm 0.38 \mathrm{(stat)} \pm 6.0 \mathrm{(sys)) \cdot 10^{-3}}$. The NA61/SHINE results are compared with the E$_{POS}$1.99 and Hadron Resonance Gas models as well as with world data from p+p and nucleus-nucleus collisions.

The differential cross sections for the elastic scattering of π+, π−, K+, K−, p, and p¯ on protons have been measured in the t interval -0.04 to -0.75 GeV2 at five momenta: 50, 70, 100, 140, and 175 GeV/c. The t distributions have been parametrized by the quadratic exponential form dσdt=Aexp(B|t|+C|t|2) and the energy dependence has been described in terms of a single-pole Regge model. The pp and K+p diffraction peaks are found to shrink with α′∼0.20 and ∼0.15 GeV−2, respectively. The p¯p diffraction peak is antishrinking while π±p and K−p are relatively energy-independent. Total elastic cross sections are calculated by integrating the differential cross sections. The rapid decline in σel observed at low energies has stopped and all six reactions approach relatively constant values of σel. The ratio of σelσtot approaches a constant value for all six reactions by 100 GeV, consistent with the predictions of the geometric-scaling hypothesis. This ratio is ∼0.18 for pp and p¯p, and ∼0.12-0.14 for π±p and K±p. A crossover is observed between K+p and K−p scattering at |t|∼0.19 GeV2, and between pp and p¯p at |t|∼0.11 GeV2. Inversion of the cross sections into impact-parameter space shows that protons are quite transparent to mesons even in head-on collisions. The probability for a meson to pass through a proton head-on without interaction inelastically is ∼20% while it is only ∼6% for an incident proton or antiproton. Finally, the results are compared with various quark-model predictions.

The ratio of π+p to pp elastic scattering is found to be smoothly varying over the range −t=0.03 to 0.4 GeV2. It is well fitted by a single exponential, indicating the forward behavior must be quite similar for the two reactions.

Hadroproduction of the Jψ and ψ′ states has been studied in 300-GeV/c proton, antiproton, and π±Li interactions. Both total and differential cross sections in xF and pT have been measured for the Jψ for the π±, proton, and antiproton interactions. The ratio of ψ′ to Jψ production has been determined for the four types of beam particles.

Measurements of elastic photoproduction cross sections for the J / ψ meson from 100 GeV to 375 GeV are presented. The results indicate that the cross section increases slowly in this range. The shape of the energy dependence agrees well with the photon-gluon fusion model prediction.

We have studied D* production mechanisms using data from a photoproduction experiment at the Fermilab Tagged Photon Spectrometer. A large sample of charged D*’s was selected via the clean signature of the cascade decay D*→D0π+ and subsequently D0→K−π+ or D0→K−π+π0. The cross section for the process γp→(D*++anything)p at an average energy of 105 GeV was measured to be 88±32 nb. Only (11±7)% of D*’s were found to be consistent with being accompanied solely by a D¯* or a D¯; the remaining events contain additional particles. The distribution of the production angle of the D* in the photon-fragmentation-system center of mass is strongly anisotropic and consistent with the form f(θ*)=cos4θ*. We set a limit on the associated-production-process cross section σ(γp→(D¯*−+anything)Λc) x)<60 nb (90% C.L.).

This paper presents measurements of the production of Ds- mesons relative to Ds+ mesons as functions of x_F and square of p_t for a sample of 2445 Ds decays to phi pi. The Ds mesons were produced in Fermilab experiment E791 with 500 GeV/c pi- mesons incident on one platinum and four carbon foil targets. The acceptance-corrected integrated asymmetry in the x_F range -0.1 to 0.5 for Ds+- mesons is 0.032 +- 0.022 +- 0.022, consistent with no net asymmetry. The results, as functions of x_F and square of p_t, are compared to predictions and to the large production asymmetry observed for D+- mesons in the same experiment. These comparisons support the hypothesis that production asymmetries come from the fragmentation process and not from the charm quark production itself.

We present a measurement of asymmetries in the production of $\Lambda_c^+$ and $\Lambda_c^-$ baryons in 500 GeV/c $\pi^-$--nucleon interactions from the E791 experiment at Fermilab. The asymmetries were measured as functions of Feynman x ($x_F$) and transverse momentum squared ($p_T^2$) using a sample of $1819 \pm 62$ $\Lambda_c$'s observed in the decay channel $\Lambda_c \to pK^-\pi^+$. We observe more $\Lambda_c^+$ than $\Lambda_c^-$ baryons, with an asymmetry of $(12.7\pm3.4\pm1.3) %$ independent of $x_F$ and $p_T^2$ in our kinematical range $(-0.1 < x_F < 0.6$ and $0.0 < p_T^2 < 8.0 (GeV/c)^2$). This $\Lambda_c$ asymmetry measurement is the first with data in both the positive and negative $x_F$ regions.

Using data from Fermilab fixed-target experiment E791, we have measured particle-antiparticle production asymmetries for lambda zero, cascade minus, and omega minus hyperons in pi minus-nucleon interactions at 500 GeV/c. The asymmetries are measured as functions of Feynman-x (x_F) and pt^2 over the ranges of -0.12 GE x_F LE 0.12 and 0 GE pt^2 LE 4 (GeV/c)^2. We find substantial asymmetries, even at x_F = 0. We also observe leading-particle- type asymmetries which qualitatively agree with theoretical predictions.

Inclusive single-particle spectra for π± production are presented for data from π±p interactions at 100 GeV/c. The spectra for the four reactions π±p→π±+anything are compared as a function of laboratory longitudinal momentum, Feynman x, center-of-mass (c.m.) rapidity, and transverse momentum squared. Comparisons are also made between these data and analogous data from 16 and 18.5 GeV/c π±p interactions and the energy dependence is discussed. Average values of the transverse momentum are given as a function of the longitudinal momentum and charged-particle multiplicity. A comparison of the charge distributions is presented as a function of rapidity and c.m. energy.