The reaction π − p → ω n has been studied at 8 and 12 GeV / c incident momenta with the CERN Omega spectrometer using a neutron time of flight trigger. The differential cross sections and the ω-decay density matrix elements are presented as functions of the momentum transfer squared − t in the range of 0.02 to 0.80 GeV 2 . The data are used to evaluate the intercept and slope of both the natural and unnatural parity exchange trajectories. Regge exchange amplitude factorisation tests involving the reaction π N → ω N are investigated.

We have measured the differential cross section for π−p→η0n at 6.0 GeV/c from 6730 very clean events in which the decay η→π+π−π0 was detected. The high statistics reveals a sizable forward turnover, implying a dominance of the helicity-flip amplitude. A precisely determined A2 trajectory, linear for |t|<1.0 (GeV/c)2, is found from combining our data with those at energies up to 101 GeV.

We report results from a study of π−p→ω0n at 6.0 GeV/c based on 28 000 events from a charged and neutral spectrometer. Background under the ω0 is only 7%, a large improvement over deuterium-bubble-chamber work. Density matrix elements, projected cross sections, and effective trajectories for natural and unnatural exchanges are presented.

Significant two-particle correlations of dynamical origin are observed in 200 GeV/c π−p inclusive interactions. This is demonstrated by comparison with kinematic correlations calculated from an independent-particle-emission model. Two distinct correlation types are observed: (a) unlike-particle correlations with correlation length ∼ 1.3 rapidity units independent of azimuthal separation, and (b) like-particle correlations with correlation length ∼ 0.4 rapidity units which are observed only for small azimuthal separations.

We have studied backward baryon and meson production in π−p→pπ+π−π− at 8.0 GeV/c using a streamer chamber triggered by the detection of a fast forward proton. Our data sample (1227 events) displays prominent N*ρ and N*f quasi-two-body production. These states are investigated with regard to the peripheral nature of the production mechanism and sequential decay of the excited baryon and meson systems. The quasi-two-body production of N*ρ and N*f intermediate states is consistent with u-channel proton exchange as the dominant production mechanism. In the π+π−π− mass distribution we observe a 3- to 4- standard-deviation enhancement at M3π=1897±17 MeV/c2 with full width at half maximum = 110 ± 82 MeV/c2, but find no but find no evidence for backward A1 or A2 production. We observe Δ++(1232) production in the pπ+ effective mass distribution.

A comparison is made of the low-mass three-meson systems (πππ), (Kππ), (π K K ) and ( K K K ) diffractively produced in the reaction meson + proton → three mesons + proton. Several striking similarities and a few important differences are observed: (i) the reactions are consistent with the assumption that the three mesons decay entirely into a 0 − meson and a 0 + , 1 − or 2 + resonance; (ii) the three-meson mass spectra have a peak ≈ 250 MeV above the effective threshold M eff of the dominant decay mode and then fall off approximately as (mass) −3 ;(iii) the average spin 〈 J 〉 = 0.55 + 1.1 Q eff , where Q eff = M - M eff ; (iv) the average orbital angular momentum 〈 l 〉 increases according to 〈 l 〉 = 0.75 Q eff ; (v) the three-meson states are produced dominantly in unnatural spin-parity states and no evidence for their being resonant is found; (vi) the only natural spin-parity states found are the well-established 2 + resonances A 2 and K ∗ (1420); they have similar properties to the non-resonant unnatural parity states except for a dip at t = 0 in the dσ/d t distributions; (vii) both the unnatural and natural spin-parity states are produced mostly by an exchange of natural parity; (viii) there is evidence for two types of production mechanism with different polarization properties, one approximately conserving helicity in the t -channel and the other in the s -channel.

Results are presented on the quasi-two body reactions π + p → Δ ++ π 0 and π + p → Δ s ++ η and 5.45 GeV/ c . Differential cross sections and Δ ++ spin density matrix elements in the t -channel and s -channel helicity systems are presented and compared with a Regge exchange model and the dual absorptive model.

Using bubble-chamber data on the reactions π+d→pspπ0π0, π+d→pspπ+π−, and π−p→nπ+π− at 7 GeV/c incident π momentum, π−π phase shifts are determined for 0.6<M(ππ)<1.5 GeV/c2. An I=0S-wave resonance is observed in the f0 peak region of M(ππ). Constructive ρ−ω interference is found in the reaction π+n→pπ+π− and evidence is presented for some specifically deuteron effects in the data with large spectator-proton momentum.

The production of the peripheral 3 π mass enhancement in the A 1 region is described. The differential cross section and its variation with 3 π mass is studied and the spin density matrix elements are given for the t -channel and s -channel helicity frames. As observed in π − p interactions t channel but not s channel helicity is conserved. A Deck type double Regge trajectory exchange amplitude gives good fits to the experimental distributions. Its use is supported by the equality of ϱ 0 0 for the A 1 and ϱ 00 for the ϱ in the t -channel, as noted by Donohue.

The production of η and X° mesons has been investigated in four and six prong events from π + p interactions at 5.45 GeV/ c . The cross sections for the quasi two body states Δ ++ η and Δ ++ X° were found to be 0.076±0.013 mb and 0.017±0.006 mb respectively. A comparison of the matrix elements for these reactions yields an η−X° mixing angle different from that predicted by the quadratic mass formula by about 20°, but within 6° of the linear mass formula result.

We report on A + 2 production in a π + p experiment at 5.45 GeV/ c . The fitted values for the mass and width are given, and the production characteristics are illustrated by the momentum transfer distributions and average density matrix elements. A depletion of events is observed near 1.3 GeV which favours a double pole amplitude or two interfering resonances over a simple Breit-Wigner formula.

The reactions π + p → Δ ++ π + π − and π + p → Δ ++ π + π − π o are used to study ϱ—ω interference at 5.45 GeV/ c . The fitted ϱ mass from a ϱ-ω interference fit is 788 MeV suggesting the possibility of a sum of different interference patterns. Hence the events are weighted by spin density matrix elements which tend to isolate particular exchanges. Results of a fit to these weighted events do not generally agree with the predictions of strong π—B and ϱ—A 2 exchange degeneracy.

Results are reported on the Δ ++ ϱ 0 and the Δ ++ ω 0 final states obtained from a 4 event/μb exposure of the Argonne National Laboratory 30 inch hydrogen bubble chamber to a π + beam at 5.45 GeV/ c . Data are presented on cross sections, differential cross sections, spin density matrix elements and differential cross-sections weighted by density matrix elements. Certain features of the data relevant to various Regge models are noted and the data is compared to a π -B exchange degenerate Regge model due to Abrams and Maor.

We present an analysis of ππN final states obtained from π−p interactions at 2.26 GeV/c. Strong ρ production is present in both final states. In addition, significant nucleon isobar production is observed. We observed the following cross sections: σ(π−π0p)=3.77±0.13 mb, σ(π−π+n)=5.67±0.17 mb, σ(ρ−p)=2.19±0.09 mb, σ(Δ+(1236)π−)=0.30±0.10 mb, σ(N0(1650)π0)=0.49±0.07 mb, σ(ρ0n)=2.89±0.11 mb, σ(Δ−(1236)π+)=0.11±0.06 mb, σ(N+(1470)π−)=0.24±0.06 mb, and σ(N+(1650)π−)=0.45±0.05 mb. The spin-density matrix elements are determined for the ρ0 by interpreting the ρ0 asymmetry as an interference between the resonant P wave and a T=0 S wave. A search for the ε0 in the π+π−n final state failed to yield a direct observation of this effect.

The elastic scattering of negative pions on protons at 2.26 GeVc has been studied using the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory 72-in. hydrogen-filled bubble chamber. The elastic scattering cross section is found to be 8.91±0.24 mb. The forward diffraction peak is well fitted by an exponential in the square of the four-momentum transfer, and the slope is found to be 8.8±0.1 GeV−2. The differential cross section is parametrized in terms of three models: optical, strong-absorption, and two-slope. It is found that the two-slope model affords the best description of the data and also does very well in predicting the polarization data of other experiments. The best-fit parameters for all three models are given. In addition, the amplitudes associated with the best fits are given for the strong-absorption and the two-slope models.

Total cross sections of π+ and π− mesons on protons and deuterons have been measured in a transmission experiment to relative accuracies of ±0.2% over the laboratory momentum range 0.46-2.67 GeV/c. The systematic error is estimated to be about ±0.5% over most of the range, increasing to about ±2% near both ends. Data have been obtained at momentum intervals of 25-50 MeV/c with a momentum resolution of ±0.6%. No new structure is observed in the π±p total cross sections, but results differ in several details from previous experiments. From 1-2 GeV/c, where systematic erros are the smallest, the total cross section of π− mesons on deuterons is found to be consistently higher than that of π+ mesons by (1.3±0.3)%; about half of this difference may be understood in terms of Coulomb-barrier effects. The πd and πN total cross sections are used to check the validity of the Glauber theory. Substantial disagreements (up to 2 mb) are observed, and the conclusion is drawn that the Glauber theory is inadequate in this momentum range.