Photon diffractive dissociation, $\gamma p \to Xp$, has been studied at HERA with the ZEUS detector using $ep$ interactions where the virtuality $Q^2$ of the exchanged photon is smaller than 0.02 GeV$^2$. The squared four-momentum $t$ exchanged at the proton vertex was determined in the range $0.073<|t|<0.40$ GeV$^2$ by measuring the scattered proton in the ZEUS Leading Proton Spectrometer. In the photon-proton centre-of-mass energy interval $176<W<225$ GeV and for masses of the dissociated photon system $4<M_X<32$ GeV, the $t$ distribution has an exponential shape, $dN/d|t| \propto \exp{(-b|t|)}$, with a slope parameter $b=6.8 \pm 0.9$~(stat.)~$ ^{+1.2}_{-1.1}$~(syst.)~GeV$^{-2}$.

Coherent 3 π production on nine different nuclear targets has been studied using a 40 GeV/ c π − beam at the Serpukhov accelerator (CERN-Serpukhov experiment no. 5). The absorption in nuclear matter of the produced system has been measured, analysing the data on the different nuclear targets. Identica results are obtained from the differential cross sections and from the coherent nuclear cross sections. The 1 + waves show a very weak absorption, definitely smaller than 0 − and 2 − waves. No influence on the absorption comes from the spin-flip amplitudes, which have been found to be negligible in the coherent region.

We have carried out a partial-wave analysis (PWA) of three-pion systems produced in the coherent dissociation of π+ mesons on nuclear targets. The data have been analyzed for copper and lead targets at an incident π+ energy of 202.5 GeV. This PWA provides further evidence for resonant contributions to JP=1+ and 0− waves at 3π masses below 1.5 GeV, which can be plausibly identified with A1 and π′ mesons. The contribution from electromagnetic production of the A2 has also been extracted, and an estimate for Coulomb production and radiative width of the A1 has been obtained.

We have carried out a systematic study of the coherent dissociation of pions into 3 pions using nuclear targets. The experiment was performed at Fermilab using a high resolution forward spectrometer. Data were taken with carbon, copper and lead targets at an incident momentum of 202.5 GeV/c. Results are presented on momentum transfers, 3-pion masses, and on the nuclearA-dependence of the production cross section.

We have studied the diffractive dissociation into di-jets of 500 GeV/c pions scattering coherently from carbon and platinum targets. Extrapolating to asymptotically high energies (where t_{min} approaches 0) we find that when the per-nucleus cross-section for this process is parameterized as $ \sigma = \sigma_0 A^{\alpha} $, $ \alpha $ has values near 1.6, the exact result depending on jet transverse momentum. These values are in agreement with those predicted by theoretical calculations of color-transparency.

Results of a high-statistics study of elastic scattering and meson resonances produced by π−p interactions at 8 GeV/c are presented. Large statistics and small systematic errors permit examination of the complete kinematic region. Total differential cross sections are given for ρ0,−, f0, g0,−, Δ±, Δ0, and N* resonances. Spin-density matrix elements and Legendre-polynomial moments are given for ρ, f, and Δ resonances. The results for ρ0 and f0 resonances are compared with the predictions of a Regge-pole-exchange model. Properties of the above resonances are compared and discussed. In particular, we present evidence that the ρ0 and f0 production mechanisms are similar. The similarity of the g0 t distribution to that of the ρ0 and f0 suggests a common production mechanism for all three resonances.

Photon proton cross sections for elastic light vector meson production, σelνp, inelastic diffractive production, σndνp, non-diffractive production, σdνp, as well as the total cross section, σtotνp, have been measured at an average υp center of mass energy of 180 GeV with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The resulting values are σelνp = 18 ± 7 μb, σdνp = 33 ± 8 μb, σndνp = 91 ± 11 μb, and σtotνp 143 ± 17 μb, where the errors include statistical and systematic errors added in quadrature.

Results are presented onK+p elastic scattering and on the reactionK+p→K+pπ+π− at 70 GeV/c. For the

We discuss the structure of the momentum transfer distributions for the diffractive dissociation processes p → n π + , p → Δ ++ π − and K − → K 890 ∗0 π − . In the near-threshold mass region a clear break of slope is found around t ′KK ∼ 0.25 GeV 2 for the two baryonic channels, whereas no comparable structure is seen for the mesonic system. The K → K ∗ π differential cross section exhibits a nearly exponential behaviour up to t ′ pp ∼ 0.6 GeV 2 , falling over three orders of magnitude. The slope variations and breaks are strongly correlated both to the mass region considered and to the decay angle of the fragmentation system.

A study is presented of the process gamma p -->XY, where there is a large rapidity gap between the systems X and Y. Measurements are made of the differential cross section as a function of the invariant mass mx of the system produced at the photon vertex. Results are presented at centre of mass energies of W_gp = 187 GeV and W_gp = 231 GeV, both where the proton dominantly remains intact and, for the first time, where it dissociates. Both the centre of mass energy and the mx~2 dependence of HERA data and those from a fixed target experiment may simultaneously be described in a triple-Regge model. The low mass photon dissociation process is found to be dominated by diffraction, though a sizable subleading contribution is present at larger masses. The pomeron intercept is extracted and found to be alpha_pom(0) = 1.068 \pm 0.016 (stat.) \pm 0.022 (syst.) \pm 0.041 (model), in good agreement with values obtained from total and elastic hadronic and photoproduction cross sections. The diffractive contribution to the process gamma p --> Xp with mx~2 / W_gp~2 < 0.05 is measured to be 22.2 \pm 0.6 (stat.) \pm 2.6 (syst.) \pm 1.7 (model) % of the total gamma p cross section at W_gp = 187 GeV.

This paper presents the first analysis of diffractive photon dissociation events in deep inelastic positron-proton scattering at HERA in which the proton in the final state is detected and its momentum measured. The events are selected by requiring a scattered proton in the ZEUS leading proton spectrometer (LPS) with $\xl>0.97$, where $\xl$ is the fraction of the incoming proton beam momentum carried by the scattered proton. The use of the LPS significantly reduces the contamination from events with diffractive dissociation of the proton into low mass states and allows a direct measurement of $t$, the square of the four-momentum exchanged at the proton vertex. The dependence of the cross section on $t$ is measured in the interval $0.073<|t|<0.4$~$\gevtwo$ and is found to be described by an exponential shape with the slope parameter $b=\tslopeerr$. The diffractive structure function $\ftwodfour$ is presented as a function of $\xpom \simeq 1-\xl$ and $\beta$, the momentum fraction of the struck quark with respect to $\xpom$, and averaged over the $t$ interval $0.073<|t|<\ftwodfourtmax$~$\gevtwo$ and the photon virtuality range $5<Q^2<20~\gevtwo$. In the kinematic range $4 \times 10^{-4} < \xpom < 0.03$ and $0.015<\beta<0.5$, the $\xpom$ dependence of $\ftwodfour$ is fitted with a form $\xpoma$, yielding $a= \ftwodfouraerr$. Upon integration over $t$, the structure function $\ftwod$ is determined in a kinematic range extending to higher $\xpom$ and lower $\beta$ compared to our previous analysis; the results are discussed within the framework of Regge theory.

We have studied single diffraction dissociation ( p p→ p X ) in proton-antiproton collisions at √ s =1.8TeV, covering the ranges 3⪅ M X ⪅200 GeV and 0.05⪅| t |⪅0.11 (GeV/ c ) 2 . Parameterizing the production to be of the form dσ ( d t d M 2 X ) = (M 2 X ) −α exp (bt) , we obtain α = 1.13±0.07 and b = 10.5±1.8(GeV/ c ) −2 . The total single diffraction dissociation cross section is 2 σ SD =8.1±1.7 mb. Comparisons are made to previous lower energy data, and to an earlier measurement by us at the same energy.

We have studied the reactions K − p → K − π + π − p and K − p → K 0 π − π 0 p at 14.3 GeV/ c using respectively 15 992 and 3723 events. Partial-wave analysis of the region 1.0 < m (K ππ ) < 1.7 GeV have been made using a modified version of the method developed at the University of Illinois.

We study the internal structure of a forward-going pπ + π − π + π − system, with invariant mass in the range 2.5-4 GeV, produced through diffractive dissociation of a beam proton at the ISR. The shape of the system, as seen in its center-of-mass, deviates strongly from isotropic phase space and possesses, rather, a longitudinal structure with a major axis along the incoming proton direction. The final state proton momentum is aligned in the direction of the incoming proton, an effect which becomes more pronounced with increasing diffractive mass.

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We present results from a measurement of double diffraction dissociation in $\bar pp$ collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The production cross section for events with a central pseudorapidity gap of width $\Delta\eta^0>3$ (overlapping $\eta=0$) is found to be $4.43\pm 0.02{(stat)}{\pm 1.18}{(syst) mb}$ [$3.42\pm 0.01{(stat)}{\pm 1.09}{(syst) mb}$] at $\sqrt{s}=1800$ [630] GeV. Our results are compared with previous measurements and with predictions based on Regge theory and factorization.

The DIS diffractive cross section, $d\sigma^{diff}_{\gamma^* p \to XN}/dM_X$, has been measured in the mass range $M_X < 15$ GeV for $\gamma^*p$ c.m. energies $60 < W < 200$ GeV and photon virtualities $Q^2 = 7$ to 140 GeV$^2$. For fixed $Q^2$ and $M_X$, the diffractive cross section rises rapidly with $W$, $d\sigma^{diff}_{\gamma^*p \to XN}(M_X,W,Q^2)/dM_X \propto W^{a^{diff}}$ with $a^{diff} = 0.507 \pm 0.034 (stat)^{+0.155}_{-0.046}(syst)$ corresponding to a $t$-averaged pomeron trajectory of $\bar{\alphapom} = 1.127 \pm 0.009 (stat)^{+0.039}_{-0.012} (syst)$ which is larger than $\bar{\alphapom}$ observed in hadron-hadron scattering. The $W$ dependence of the diffractive cross section is found to be the same as that of the total cross section for scattering of virtual photons on protons. The data are consistent with the assumption that the diffractive structure function $F^{D(3)}_2$ factorizes according to $\xpom F^{D(3)}_2 (\xpom,\beta,Q^2) = (x_0/ \xpom)^n F^{D(2)}_2(\beta,Q^2)$. They are also consistent with QCD based models which incorporate factorization breaking. The rise of $\xpom F^{D(3)}_2$ with decreasing $\xpom$ and the weak dependence of $F^{D(2)}_2$ on $Q^2$ suggest a substantial contribution from partonic interactions.

The reaction γp→ρfast0pπ+π− has been studied with the linearly polarized 20-GeV monochromatic photon beam at the SLAC Hybrid Facility to test the prediction of s-channel helicity conservation in inelastic diffraction for t’<0.4 (GeV/c)2. In a sample of 1934 events from this reaction, the ρ0 decay-angular distributions and spin-density-matrix elements are consistent with s-channel helicity conservation, the π+π− mass shape displays the same skewing as seen in the reaction γp→pπ+π−, and the pπ+π− mass distribution compares well and scales according to the vector dominance model with that produced in π±p→πfast±pπ+π−.

In a 48 000-picture exposure of the Fermilab 30-inch hydrogen bubble chamber to a 205 GeV/ c π − beam, we have measured 169 events of the reaction, π − p → π − π + π − p, with a cross section of 635 ± 61 μ b. This reaction proceeds almost entirely via low mass π − → 3 π and p → p ππ dissociation. Factorization is satisfied for p → pππ dissociation in πp and pp interactions.

We have measured the cross section for p+p→p+X for MX2 up to a constant fraction of s. We observe no rise for 130<E<400 GeV. The inelastic cross section for 0<M2<0.06s is 2.50±0.05 mb for various values of s from 263 to 752 GeV2.

This paper analyzes π−N→π−π−π+N events from Fermilab experiment E-580, using 200-GeV/c particles on a segmented target of plastic scintillator. Starting with 48 657 triggers, data-quality cuts and a cut on missing mass squared of M2<16 GeV2 lead to a final sample of 7205 events. The xF distribution of the 3π system shows almost all events in a sharp peak at xF=1, suggesting the presence of beam diffraction into three pions. The overall t’ distribution is fit to the sum of three exponential terms corresponding to coherent diffraction from carbon nuclei, diffraction from individual nucleons, and background. Cross sections per nucleon and exponential slopes are reported for each of the three components as a function of 3π effective mass. The cross section for diffraction from the nucleons in the target is 0.34±0.04 mb/nucleon. The cross section for coherent diffraction from carbon is 1.08±0.12 mb/nucleus. The exponential slope for diffraction is observed to decrease with increasing 3π effective mass. The fraction of coherent carbon diffraction in the total cross section is observed to decrease with increasing 3π effective mass. In the π−π+ effective-mass spectrum the ρ0(770) and f0(1270) are observed and their cross sections per nucleon are calculated. In the π−π−π+ effective-mass spectrum the A1−/A2− and A3− enhancements are observed and a cross section for the A3− is calculated.

A search for charm production in the coherent diffractive dissociation reaction pSi→XSi was carried out for the modes D 0 → K − π + , D 0 → K − π + π + π − , and D + → K − π + π + . No charm signals were observed, and the 90% confidence level upper limit for coherent charm pair production was determined to be 26 μ b per silicon nucleus. The results are interpreted as an upper limit of 0.2% on the amount of intrinsic charm in the proton.

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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.

Diffractive dissociation of virtual photons, gamma* p-->Xp, has been studied in ep interactions with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of approx. 10 pb^-1. The data cover photon virtualities 0.17 < Q^2< 0.70 GeV^2 and 3 < Q^2< 80 GeV^2 with 3<M_X<38 GeV, where M_X is the mass of the hadronic final state.