The reactions gamma gamma -> pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^- and gamma gamma -> pi^+pi^0pi^-pi^0 are studied with the L3 detector at LEP in a data sample collected at centre-of-mass energies from 161GeV to 209GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 698/pb. A spin-parity-helicity analysis of the rho^0 rho^0 and rho^+ rho^- systems for two-photon centre-of-mass energies between 1GeV and 3GeV shows the dominance of the spin-parity state 2+ with helicity 2. The contribution of 0+ and 0- spin-parity states is also observed, whereas contributions of 2- states and of a state with spin-parity 2+ and zero helicity are found to be negligible.

Exclusive rho^+ rho^- production in two-photon collisions involving a single highly-virtual photon is studied with data collected at LEP at centre-of-mass energies 89 GeV < \sqrt{s} < 209 GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 854.7 pb^-1. The cross section of the process gamma gamma^* -> rho^+ rho^- is determined as a function of the photon virtuality, Q^2, and the two-photon centre-of-mass energy, W_gg, in the kinematic region: 1.2 GeV^2 < Q^2 < 30 GeV^2 and 1.1 GeV < W_gg < 3 GeV. The \rho^+\rho^- production cross section is found to be of the same magnitude as the cross section of the process gamma gamma^* -> rho^0 rho^0, measured in the same kinematic region by L3, and to have similar W_gg and Q^2 dependences.

This paper reports measurements of processes: e+e- -> gamma KsK+pi-, e+e- -> gamma K+K-pi0, e+e- -> gamma phi eta, and e+e- -> gamma phi pi0. The initial state radiated photon allows to cover the hadronic final state in the energy range from thresholds up to ~4.6 GeV. The overall size of the data sample analyzed is 232 fb-1, collected by the BaBar detector running at the PEP-II e+e- storage ring. From the Dalitz plot analysis of the KsK+pi- final state, moduli and relative phase of the isoscalar and the isovector components of the e+e- -> K K*(892) cross section are determined. Parameters of phi and rho recurrences are also measured, using a global fitting procedure which exploits the interconnection among amplitudes, moduli and phases of the e+e- -> KsK+pi-, K+K-pi0, phi eta final states. The cross section for the OZI-forbidden process e+e- -> phi pi0, and the J/psi branching fractions to KK*(892) and K+K-eta are also measured.

We study the processes $e^+ e^-\to 2(\pi^+\pi^-)\pi^0\gamma$, $2(\pi^+\pi^-)\eta\gamma$, $K^+ K^-\pi^+\pi^-\pi^0\gamma$ and $K^+ K^-\pi^+\pi^-\eta\gamma$ with the hard photon radiated from the initial state. About 20000, 4300, 5500 and 375 fully reconstructed events, respectively, are selected from 232 fb$^{-1}$ of BaBar data. The invariant mass of the hadronic final state defines the effective $e^+ e^-$ center-of-mass energy, so that the obtained cross sections from the threshold to about 5 GeV can be compared with corresponding direct \epem measurements, currently available only for the $\eta\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\omega\pi^+\pi^-$ submodes of the $e^+ e^-\to 2(\pi^+\pi^-)\pi^0$ channel. Studying the structure of these events, we find contributions from a number of intermediate states, and we extract their cross sections where possible. In particular, we isolate the contribution from $e^+ e^-\to\omega(782)\pi^+\pi^-$ and study the $\omega(1420)$ and $\omega(1650)$ resonances. In the charmonium region, we observe the $J/\psi$ in all these final states and several intermediate states, as well as the $\psi(2S)$ in some modes, and we measure the corresponding branching fractions.

We study the process $e^+e^-\to\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-\gamma$, with a hard photon radiated from the initial state. About 60,000 fully reconstructed events have been selected from 89 $fb^{-1}$ of BaBar data. The invariant mass of the hadronic final state defines the effective \epem center-of-mass energy, so that these data can be compared with the corresponding direct $e^+e^-$ measurements. From the $4\pi$-mass spectrum, the cross section for the process $e^+e^-\to\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$ is measured for center-of-mass energies from 0.6 to 4.5 $GeV/c^2$. The uncertainty in the cross section measurement is typically 5%. We also measure the cross sections for the final states $K^+ K^- \pi^+\pi^-$ and $K^+ K^- K^+ K^-$. We observe the $J/\psi$ in all three final states and measure the corresponding branching fractions. We search for X(3872) in $J/\psi (\to\mu^+\mu^-) \pi^+\pi^-$ and obtain an upper limit on the product of the $e^+e^-$ width of the X(3872) and the branching fraction for $X(3872) \to J/\psi\pi^+\pi^-$.

We study the processes e+ e- --> 3(pi+pi-)gamma, 2(pi+pi-pi0)gamma and K+ K- 2(pi+pi-)gamma, with the photon radiated from the initial state. About 20,000, 33,000 and 4,000 fully reconstructed events, respectively, have been selected from 232 fb-1 of BaBar data. The invariant mass of the hadronic final state defines the effective e+e- center-of-mass energy, so that these data can be compared with the corresponding direct e+e- measurements. From the 3(pi+pi-), 2(pi+pi-pi0) and K+ K- 2(pi+pi-) mass spectra, the cross sections for the processes e+ e- --> 3(pi+pi-), e+ e- --> 2(pi+pi-pi0) and e+ e- --> K+ K- 2(pi+pi-) are measured for center-of-mass energies from production threshold to 4.5 GeV. The uncertainty in the cross section measurement is typically 6-15%. We observe the J/psi in all these final states and measure the corresponding branching fractions.

The pion induced pion production reactions π±p→π+π±n were studied at projectile incident energies of 223, 243, 264, 284, and 305 MeV, using a cryogenic liquid hydrogen target. The Canadian High Acceptance Orbit Spectrometer was used to detect the two outgoing pions in coincidence. The experimental results are presented in the form of single differential cross sections. Total cross sections obtained by integrating the differential quantities are also reported. In addition, the invariant mass distributions from the (π+π−) channel were fitted to determine the parameters for an extended model based on that of Oset and Vicente-Vacas. We find the model parameters obtained from fitting the (π+π−) data do not describe the invariant mass distributions in the (π+π+) channel.

Measurements of the deuteron elastic magnetic structure function B(Q2) are reported at squared four-momentum transfer values 1.20≤Q2≤2.77 (GeV/c)2. Also reported are values for the proton magnetic form factor GMp(Q2) at 11 Q2 values between 0.49 and 1.75 (GeV/c)2. The data were obtained using an electron beam of 0.5 to 1.3 GeV. Electrons backscattered near 180° were detected in coincidence with deuterons or protons recoiling near 0° in a large solid-angle double-arm spectrometer system. The data for B(Q2) are found to decrease rapidly from Q2=1.2 to 2 (GeV/c)2, and then rise to a secondary maximum around Q2=2.5 (GeV/c)2. Reasonable agreement is found with several different models, including those in the relativistic impulse approximation, nonrelativistic calculations that include meson-exchange currents, isobar configurations, and six-quark configurations, and one calculation based on the Skyrme model. All calculations are very sensitive to the choice of deuteron wave function and nucleon form factor parametrization. The data for GMp(Q2) are in good agreement with the empirical dipole fit.

The e + e − → π + π − cross section has been measured from about 280 events (an order of magnitude more than the previous world statistics) in the energy interval 1.35 ⩽ s ⩽ 2.4 GeV with the DM2 detector at DCI. The pion squared form factor | F π | 2 shows a deep minimum around 1.6 GeV/ c 2 and is better fit under the hypothesis of two ϱ-like resonance ⋍0.25 GeV/ c 2 wide with 1.42 and 1.77 GeV/ c 2 masses.

We present new high statistics data on hadron production in photon-photon reactions. The data are analyzed in terms of an electron-photon scattering formalism. The dependence of the total cross section of Q 2 , the four-momentum transfer squared of the scattered electron, and on the mass W of the hadronic system is investigated. The data are compared to predictions from Vector-Meson Dominance and the quark model.

We present the first data on photon-photon annihilation into hadrons for CM energies > 1 GeV obtained with the detector PLUTO at the e + e − storage ring PETRA. Cross sections are extracted using an inelastic eγ scattering formalism. The results are compared to expectations from Regge-like models.

By combining new results obtained at C.M. energies of 1.2 and 1.3 GeV with previous data obtained at lower energies from the e + e − annihilation process e + e − → π + π − π o π o , we get an indication in favour of the existence of a new vector meson of the ϱ type, ϱ' (1250), the first daughter of the ϱ in the predictions of the Veneziano model. Further results on the annihilation process e + e − → π (1600) → π + π − π + π − are also presented.

We have observed 1085 events of the type e + e − → hadrons, in the total centre-of-mass energy range √ s = 1.2 to 3.0 GeV. The energy dependence of the total annihilation cross-section, parametrized in the form σ ( e + e − → hadrons ) = A · s n , is measured to be n = -(1.54 −0.29 +0.17 ) in the above energy range.

We have measured the crosss section for the reaction e + e − → 4 π ± in the energy range 1 2–3.0 GeV.No statistically significant evidence for a new vector meson in the ϱ″ region is found.

The study of 620 hadron pairs produced in the s -range (1.44−9.0) GeV 2 , has yielded 110 collinear hadronic events. Their identification in terms of π and K mesons allows the determination of the time-like electromagnetic from factors of these pseudoscalar mesons in the above time-like range. The total number of (e + e − ) events observed in the same experimental conditions is 18 048.

In the analysis of the reactione+e−→e+e−KS0Ks0 clear evidence for exclusive γγ→f2′ resonance production is observed. The productΓγγ ·B(f2′→K\(\bar K\)) is measured to be 0.10−0.03−0.02+0.04+0.03 keV independent of ana priori assumption on the helicity structure. Our data are consistent with a pure helicity 2 contribution and we derive an upper limit for the ratioΓγγ(0)/Γγγ. The absence of events in the mass region around 1.3 GeV clearly proves destructivef2−a2 interference and allows to measure the relative phases betweenf2,a2 andf2′. Upper limits on the production of the glueball candidate statesf2(1720) andX(2230) as well as theKS0KS0-continuum are given.

The reactione+e−→e+e− A2 (1320) has been observed by detecting the decayA2→π+,π-π0. The two-photon width of theA2 has been measured to be Г(A2→γγ)=(0.09±0.27 (stat)±0.16 (syst)) keV. The cross section σ(γγ→π+,π-π0 has been determined outside theA2 resonance region.

An analysis of the production ofKS0KS0 andK±Ks0π∓ by two quasi-real photons is presented. The cross section forγγ→K0\(\overline {K^0 } \), which is given for the γγ invariant mass range fromK\(\bar K\) threshold to 2.5 GeV, is dominated by thef′(1525) resonance and an enhancement near theK\(\bar K\) threshold. Upper limits on the product of the two-photon width times the branching ratio intoK\(\bar K\) pairs are given forΘ(1700),h(2030), and ξ(2220). For exclusive two-photon production ofK±Ks0π∓ no significant signal was observed. Upper limits are given on the cross section ofγγ→K+\(\overline {K^0 } \)π− orK−K0π+ between 1.4 and 3.2 GeV and on the product of the γγ width times the branching ratio into theK\(\bar K\)π final states for theηc(2980) and the ι(1440), yieldingΓ(γγ)→i(1440))·BR(i(1440)→K\(\bar K\)π<2.2 keV at 95% C.L.

The differential cross section for photoproduction of π° on hydrogen has been measured in a photon energy range of 560-690 MeV and for production angles in the interval 90°-105° in the centre of mass system. The experiment detects the recoil proton and a π°-decay photon in coincidence, using optical spark chambers and a lead glass Cerenkov counter. Presented cross sections, based on 35 000 events recorded on film, are in good agreement with recent phase shift analysis.

The cross section for exclusive π+ electroproduction on the proton has been measured near threshold for the first time at two different values of the virtual photon polarization (ɛ∼0.2 and ɛ∼0.7). Using the low energy theorem for this reaction we deduce the axial and pseudoscalar weak form factors GA and GP at ‖t‖=0.073, 0.139, and 0.179 (GeV/c)2. The slope of GA agrees with the value obtained in neutrino experiments. GP satisfies the pion pole dominance hypothesis, which is thus verified for the first time in this range of transfer.

Differential cross sections of the reactions $(\gamma,\pi^\circ\pi^\circ)$ and $(\gamma,\pi^\circ\pi^++\pi^\circ\pi^-)$ have been measured for several nuclei ($^1$H,$^{12}$C, and $^{\rm nat}$Pb) at an incident-photon energy of $E_{\gamma}$=400-460 MeV at the tagged-photon facility at MAMI-B using the TAPS spectrometer. A significant nuclear-mass dependence of the $\pi\pi$ invariant-mass distribution is found in the $\pi^\circ\pi^\circ$ channel. This dependence is not observed in the $\pi^\circ\pi^{+/-}$ channel and is consistent with an in-medium modification of the $\pi\pi$ interaction in the $I$=$J$=0 channel. The data are compared to $\pi$-induced measurements and to calculations within a chiral-unitary approach.

The average multiplicities 〈 n c 〉 and 〈n〉, of charged-plus-neutral pions produced in e + e − collisions, have been determined for total center-of-mass energies ranging from 1.2 to 2.4 GeV. No appreciable multiplicity variation is observed over this energy range, where the mean values 〈; n c 〉 = 3.3 +0.3 −0.2 and 〈 n 〉 = 4.4 +0.4 −0.2 are found.

The proof is given for the existence of the reaction e + e − → h ± h ∓ in the energy range 1400–2400 MeV, and its energy dependence is compared with that of e + e − → e ± e ∓ , in the same experimental conditions of observation. The exponent of the s -dependence of the ratio α = (e + e − → h ± h ∓ )/ (e + e − → e ± e ∓ ) is measured to be n = 2.08 ± 0.45, in the s -range (1.96 − 5.76) GeV 2 , on the basis of 51 e + e − → h ± h ∓ events and 8918 e + e − → e ± e ∓ events observed.

The polarized longitudinal-transverse structure function $\sigma_{LT^\prime}$ measures the interference between real and imaginary amplitudes in pion electroproduction and can be used to probe the coupling between resonant and non-resonant processes. We report new measurements of $\sigma_{LT^\prime}$ in the $N(1440){1/2}^+$ (Roper) resonance region at $Q^2=0.40$ and 0.65 GeV$^2$ for both the $\pi^0 p$ and $\pi^+ n$ channels. The experiment was performed at Jefferson Lab with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) using longitudinally polarized electrons at a beam energy of 1.515 GeV. Complete angular distributions were obtained and are compared to recent phenomenological models. The $\sigma_{LT^\prime}(\pi^+ n)$ channel shows a large sensitivity to the Roper resonance multipoles $M_{1-}$ and $S_{1-}$ and provides new constraints on models of resonance formation.

The reactionγγ→π+π−π+π− has been studied with the ARGUS detector. The rate in the invariant mass region below 1.8 GeV/c2 is found to be largely due toρ0ρ0 production. A spin-parity analysis shows a dominance of the partial wave (JP,Jz)=(2+, 2) with a small admixture fromJP=0+. The contribution of negative parity states is consistent with zero. The large ratio of cross sectionsσ(γγ→ρ0ρ0)/σ(γγ→ρ+ρ−)≃4, and the dominance of theJP=2+ wave in the reactionγγ→ρ0ρ0 is a signature consistent with the production of an exotic (I=2) resonance.