Three- and four-body final states with strange particles are studied in π + p and π − p interactions at 16 GeV/ c . We present cross sections and investigate their energy dependence. Production mechanism, resonance production and quantum number transfer are discussed. Strong Y ∗ (1385) production is found in the reaction π + p → Λ K + π + , while the corresponding π − p reaction is dominated by production of K ∗ (890). In the NK K π channels, the K and K are produced mainly at the same vertex, i.e. non-strangeness exchange ΔS = 0 is dominant (about 75% of the cases), whereas in the Λ K ππ channels, the Λ and K are more frequently produced at opposite vertices, i.e. | ΔS | = 1 exchange is important (about 60% of the cases). Results on the polarization of the lambdas produced in the π + p reactions are given.

A study of the reaction π + p → p π + π o at 16 GeV/ c incident momentum has been made using the prism plot analysis to reject background events arising from elastic and multineutral contaminations and to separate different reaction channels ( ϱ + p, g + p, Δ + π + , Δ ++ π o , π + (p π o ) DD ). Cross sections, invariant mass distributions and production and decay angular distributions are presented. For the channel corresponding to proton diffraction dissociation strong violation of both s - and t -channel helicity conservation is found for low values of the (p π o ) mass. We demonstrate that the prism plot method provides a better separation of background events than conventional methods using kinematic cuts.

We have analysed the reaction π + p → pπ + π + π − at 16 GeV/c by means of the prism plot analysis (PPA) as proposed by Pless et al. We have separated ten reaction channels contributing to the final state pπ + π + π − and present the results in terms of partial and differential cross sections, invariant mass and decay angular distributions. We show that the PPA is a self-controlling method which is demonstrated by the emergence of a broad (3π) + enhancement around 1800 MeV decaying into ρ 0 π + .

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The A 2 meson is studied in the decay mode ϱ 0 π − using partial wave analyses of 600 000 events from the reaction π − p→ π − π − π + p at 63 and 94 GeV incident momentum. Common production mechanisms are indicated for this resonance and diffractive 1 + and 2 − components.

We present an analysis of theKs0Ks0 system produced in the reaction π−p→Ks0Ks0n at 63 GeV based on ∼700 events in the kinematical region of |t|<0.5 GeV2. We concentrate on masses between 1,200 and 1,600 MeV where a double maximum structure is observed. Performing an amplitude analysis in this mass interval we find thatS,D0 andD+ waves contribute to the mass spectrum at approximately equal strength. The peaks are attributed to spin 2 waves. However, we failed to explained them by interferingf(1270),A2(1310) andf′(1520) resonances alone. While the first peak can be associated withf(1270)−A2(1310) production, an additional tensor meson is needed with mass of ∼1410 MeV and a narrow width for a description of the second one. The analysis as well as the energy dependence deduced from some publishedKs0Ks0 mass spectra suggests this object to be dominantly produced by a natural parity exchange. Because the 2++\(q\bar q\) nonet is already complete the nature of the new tensor meson is an open question.

We present single inclusive π±, π0 andK± spectra in the forward fragmentation region (x>0.2,pT<1.5 GeV/c) as well as correlations between two charged particles. The data were recorded in an unseparated negative hadron beam at the CERN SPS using a large acceptance forward spectrometer. Our maasurements are compared in detail with several models which emphasise the role of the beam valence quarks in this production process. The connection to measurements at largepT is also investigated.

Diffractive production of the 3 π system has been studied at 63 and 94 GeV using a two magnet spectrometer with high, uniform acceptance. The total number of events used in the analysis is ∼600 000. The A 2 meson is shown to be diffractively produced. The existence of a resonant component in both the 1 + and 2 − enhancements is established and resonance parameters for the corresponding A 1 and A 3 mesons are given. There are several indications in the data of states which would correspond to radial excitations in the quark model.

The inclusive reactions h+p→ φ +X, (h= π ±, ,K ± ,p ± ), are studied for 0⪅ x F ⪅0.3 and p ⊥ ⩽ 1 GeV at 93 and and 63 GeV incident momentum. Differential cross sections d σ /d p ⊥ 2 and dσ /d x F are presented and are compared with predictions of the naive parton model.

The reactions π + p → π + ( K + K + K − K − ) p and pp → p ( K + K + K − K − ) p in which the K + K + K − K − system is centrally produced have been studied at 85 GeV c . Evidence is found for φφ production. The relative rates for production of φφ , φK + K − and K + K + K − K − have been determined.

The reaction π − p → K + K − π − p at 16 GeV/ c was studied in the CERN OMEGA spectrometer and a partial-wave analysis (PWA) of the low-mass (K + K − π − ) system (1.3–2.0 GeV) was performed. Only states in the unnatural spin-parity series produced by natural parity exchange are important and they approximately conserve t -channel helicity. The 1 + S K ∗ K wave dominates the low-mass (K + K − π − ) region. We observe an enhancement in 2 − P K ∗ K wave at a mass of 1.7 GeV, consistent with the decay of the A 3 resonance.

The reaction π − p → φφ n has been isolated at 16 GeV/ c and its cross section determined to be 40 ± 10 nb. The φφ mass spectrum shows a threshold enhancement between 2.1 and 2.5 GeV. A successful description of the angular content of the φφ system requires two interferingss J P = 2 + states.

The dominant partial waves of the diffractively produced N π system at low Nπ masses (⩽ 1.4 GeV) are determined in the reactions π ± p → π (N π ) at 16 GeV/ c . A satisfactory description of our data can only be obtained by strong contributions of both a 1 2 − S-wave and a 3 2 + P-wave, violating the Gribov-Morrison rule. Spin and parity of the diffractively produced states are found from the interference between diffraction and Δ (1236) production. The interference term is obtained by an isospin analysis.

The differential cross section d σ d t′ for the charge-exchange process π + p → π 0 ( π + p) at 8, 16 and 23 GeV/ c is presented for several regions of the π + p effective mass. It is found that the dip at t ′ ≈ 0.6 (GeV/ c ) 2 which is observed in the Δ(1236) mass band becomes a less pronounced structure in the higher mass regions. However, while the slope of the d σ d t′ distributions in the near-forward direction decreases strongly with increasing π + p mass, there is no evidence that the observed structure moves to higher values of t ′ as the π + p mass increases. These results are consistent with a Regge-exchange picture where the position of the dip is determined by the exchanged trajectory, but are inconsistent with a simple geometrical picture.

The reactions π + p giving π 0 Δ ++ (1236), η (549) Δ ++ (1236) and η ′(958) Δ ++ (1236) are studied at 16 GeV/ c . Cross sections, differential cross sections and Δ ++ (1236) spin density matrix elements are presented. The π 0 Δ ++ (1236) differential cross section d σ d t′ indicates a dip towards t ′ = 0 and has a minimum at t ′ ≅ 0.6 GeV 2 . The Δ ++ (1236) spin density matrix elements are consistent with the predictions of the Stodolsky-Sakurai model, except perhaps near the forward direction. For ηΔ ++ (1236), the differential cross section d σ d t′ turns over in the forward direction and presents no further structure. SU(3) sum rules are tested and found to be approximately satisfied. The data agree with factorization of ϱ exchange. The effective A 2 trajectory is calculated and found to be consistent with that reported from the reaction π − p → η n.

The reaction π + p→ ωΔ ++ (1236) is studied at 16 GeV/ c . Cross section, differential cross section, single and joint spin-density matrix elements are given and the correlations between the ε and Δ ++ (1236) decay angular distributions are investigated. Natural and unnatural spin-parity exchanges contribute to this reaction in roughly equal amounts. Natural exchanges lead predominantly to Δ ++ (1236) with helicity ± 3 2 , while unnatural exchanges lead predominantly to Δ ++ (1236) with helicity ± 1 2 and to ε with helicity zero. Furthermore, unnatural exchanges are small at t ′≅0.2 GeV 2 compared to other t ′ values, which may be due to the nonsense wrong-signature-zero of the B-meson exchange. Quark model relations are found to be satisfied by the data.

The reaction π + p → ϱ 0 Δ ++ (1236) at 16 GeV/ c has been studied. Cross section, differential cross section, single and joint spin-density matrix elements are given. Correlations between the ϱ 0 and Δ ++ (1236) decay distributions are observed. Unnatural spin-parity exchanges, mainly observed at small t ' values, dominate the ϱ 0 Δ ++ (1236) production. The natural exchange contributions are only (7 ± 2)% and become as important as the unnatural exchanges beyond t ' = 0.3 GeV 2 . Contributions to Δ ++ (1236) helicity 3 2 states do not exceed 20% of the total ϱ 0 Δ ++ (1236) cross section and are mainly due to unnatural exchanges.

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A prism plot analysis of the reaction π − p→p π + π − π − at 16 GeV/ c has been made and the results are compared with those obtained in a similar analysis of the reaction π + p→ p π + π + π − at the same energy. The three dominating reaction mechanisms (pion dissociation, reggeon exchange, proton diffraction dissociation) appear to be well separated, while considerable residual overlaps are present inside these classes. The prism plot method is discussed as a means for detecting hidden structures and some evidence is presented for a broad three-pion enhancement around 2 GeV decaying primarily into ϱ 0 π − .

Inclusive ϱ 0 and f(1270) production are analysed in π + p collisions at 8, 16 and 23 GeV/ c . The ϱ 0 cross section increases with energy such that the ϱ 0 /π − ratio remains constant. Emphasis is laid on cross sections as a function of the transverse momentum and of the Feynman x variable. The ϱ 0 's can be attributed to two sources: some ϱ 0 's are centrally produced, but there is a pronounced forward peak. The distribution of leptons coming from ϱ 0 decay is discussed.

The production of ρ 0 (770) and f(1270) is studied in π − p interactions at 16 GeV/ c . By comparison with inclusive K ∗0 production in the reaction K − p → K ∗0 + anything, and with inclusive ρ 0 production in the reaction pp → ρ 0 + anything, it is found that the data can be interpreted in terms of two production processes: the central production of resonances and the fragmentation of the beam particle. For the π − p reaction, the inclusive ρ 0 beam fragmentation cross section is 3.1 ± 0.3 mb while that for central production is 1.6 ± 0.5 mb. The ρ 0 central production cross section is consistent with increasing with energy as ln s behaviour. The ratio of ρ 0 to π − inclusive cross sections (excluding the leading π − ) is ∼0.2, independent of energy. The ρ 0 to π − ratio increases as a function of p T to a constant value of ∼ 1 2 above 1 GeV/ c . The ρ (charged and neutral) and f decays account for (25 ± 4)% and (1.4 ± 0.3)%, respectively, of all pions produced.

Cross-section values or upper limits are presented for twenty-five two-body hypercharge-exchange reactions in K − p and π + p interactions at 10 and 16 GeV/ c . The 16 GeV/ c results are compared with some predictions of line-reversal plus exchange-degenerate Regge poles, of SU(3) and of the additive quark model. Agreement is found in all cases.

The production of η(550) and ω(780) mesons is studied in π ± p interactions at 16 GeV/ c and K − p interactions at 10 and 16 GeV/ c . Cross sections for exclusive channels are presented, and for the π + p data differential cross sections are given for quasi-inclusive production where the η or ω is required to be accompanied by charged particles only. Close similarities are observed between η, ω and also ϱ 0 (770) production in terms of longitudinal and transverse variables. By a rough estimate, the η, ω and ϱ 0 inclusive yields are found to be in the ratio 0.32 : 0.85 : 1, respectively, for 16 GeV/ c π + p collisions. For non-peripheral production we estimate this same ratio to be 0.34 : 0.9 : 1.

It is found in the reactions π ± p →( π ± π + π − )p, believed to be dominated by diffraction dissociation, that the d σ d t′ distributions show a “cross-over” effect at t ′ ≈ 0.15, similar to the effect observed in elastic scattering. This gives evidence for the interference of ( ϱ 0 , B 0 ,…)-exchanges with ( P , f 0 , …) -exchanges in pion diffraction dissociation reactions. No such evidence is found for baryon dissociation, π ± p → π ± (p π + π − ), at the same energy.

By means of an isospin analysis of the reaction π ± p→ π (N π ) at 16 GeV/ c we have determined the decay angular distributions of the N π system with I= 1 2 produced by isospin zero exchange. Helicity conservation is not observed in the t -channel for the N π mass region below 1.6 GeV, where diffraction dissociation of the proton is supposed to dominate. There are indications for approximate t -channel helicity conservation for N ∗ (1690) production. In the helicity frame, the experimental data are not in agreement with s -channel helicity conservation over the whole N π mass range investigated. Thus the diffractive process N→N π differs both from the process N→N ππ (or π → πππ and K→K ππ ) which approximately conserves t -channel helicity and from the elastic scattering N→N which conserves helicity in the s -channel.