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.

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.

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.

The results of a study of the reaction π-p→π-π-π+p at2 147 GeV/c carried out at the Fermilab Proportional Wire 30″ Bubble Chamber Hybrid Spectrometer are reported. More than 92% of the cross-section ((670±41) μb) for this reaction is contained in those for proton and pion diffraction dissociation. The cross-sections for pion diffraction events with three-pion invariant mass in given regions are in agreement with values obtained by extrapolation of fits to data at lower incidentpion momenta. ρ0π- events make an important contribution in the A1 and A2 mass regions, and the data are consistent with contributions from f0π- in the A3 mass region. The cross-section for proton diffraction events is in agreement with a smooth extrapolation of the data at lower momentum.

The differential cross section has been measured at 30, 50, 80, 100, 120 and 140 GeV/ c for 0.002 < | t | < 0.04 ( GeV / c ) 2 . The results show that the π − p real part goes from negative to positive values below 80 GeV/ c . The slope parameter in the t -region measured is significantly higher than what has been found − t = 0.2 (GeV/ c ) 2 .

The differential cross section of π − p scattering has been measured in the energy region 100–345 GeV and in the t -range 0.002<| t |< 0.04 (GeV/ c ) 2 . The real part of the π − p scattering amplitude has been extracted from the data. The results show that the real part continues to increase with energy. The energy dependence of the slope parameter has also been determined. The shrinkage found expressed in terms of the slope of the pomeron trajectory is2 α ′ p =0.23±0.04 (GeV/ c ) −2 . This agrees with the energy dependence found at larger| t |-values.

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.

The polarization parameter has been measured for π − p elastic scattering in the backward region at 3.5 GeV/ c incident momentum. The experimental set-up consisted of a polarized target in a spectrometer magnet, hodoscopes and wire spark chambers. Data are presented for the range −0.95< u ⩽−0.19 GeV 2 . An isospin analysis has been carried out to separate the I u = 1 2 and I u = 3 2 contributions.

Analyzing powers of pion-proton elastic scattering have been measured at PSI with the Low Energy Pion Spectrometer LEPS as well as a novel polarized scintillator target. Angular distributions between 40 and 120 deg (c.m.) were taken at 45.2, 51.2, 57.2, 68.5, 77.2, and 87.2 MeV incoming pion kinetic energy for pi+ p scattering, and at 67.3 and 87.2 MeV for pi- p scattering. These new measurements constitute a substantial extension of the polarization data base at low energies. Predictions from phase shift analyses are compared with the experimental results, and deviations are observed at low energies.

The P parameter for π + p scattering at 236.3 MeV has been measured between 50° and 146° c.m. with very low background using a butanol polarized proton target. The resulting D phases are in fair agreement with dispersion relation values.

We report our first measurements of the polarization in the elastic scattering of negative pions from polarized protons at an incident pion momentum of 40 GeV/ c . The momentum-transfer region covered was 0.08 < | t | < 1.3 (GeV/ c ) 2 . The angular distribution of the polarization exhibits a first minimum of ∼ − 5% and the well-known zero around t ≈ − 0.6 (GeV/ c ) 2 . The energy variation of the first minimum (at around t = − 0.2) may be expressed in a simple form, P avr = −(0.48±0.06) s −0.52±0.05 .

Data on polarization in backward elastic π + p scattering at 2.0, 3.5 and 4.0 GeV/ c are presented. The data at 2.0 GeV/ c are compared with the result of a recent phase-shift analysis. Our data at 3.5 and 4.0 GeV/ c , and existing data above 3 GeV/ c , show no significant energy dependence of the polarization over the measured u -range. A comparison with Regge models and with results from amplitude analysis is made.

Measurements of polarization in π+p elastic scattering have been made at 1.60, 1.80, 2.11, and 2.31 GeVc. The data cover the entire angular range, with emphasis on the backward region. Comparisons have been made with both u-channel and t-channel models, as well as with predictions of phase-shift analyses. While the agreement is generally poor in all cases, the best agreement is with some t-channel predictions.

We have measured the polarization parameter in π−p elastic scattering at laboratory momenta of 1180, 1250, and 1360 MeV/c in the angular interval 65°<θc.m.<115°. The results were used to show that the polarized target used in these (and other similar) experiments was uniformly polarized. These measurements were also used to resolve pre-existing experimental discrepancies in the determination of the polarization parameter, and to clarify the behavior of scattering amplitudes in this energy range. We show that local measurements of this type are important in resolving discrete ambiguities affecting the energy continuation of the amplitudes. An important by-product of this experiment is the development of a fast method of reconstructing particle trajectories and fitting the elastic events, which could have a significant impact for future high-statistics experiments.

We have measured the polarization in π − backward elastic scattering at 2.22, 2.46, 2.71 and 3.50 GeV/ c incident momenta, in the u -range−1.0 ≦ u ≦0.1 (GeV/ c ) 2 . The experiment used a polarized proton target and detected both pions and protons. We have found large discrepancies between the new data and the result of even the latest phase-shift analysis.

None

None

We report final results on the polarization parameter P in elastic scattering of π − , K − and antiprotons at 40 GeV/ c incident momentum. The energy dependence of P (t) in π − p above 10 GeV/ c is well fitted by P (t) α s αR(t)-α P (t) where α R (t) are the effective Regge and Pomeron trajectories respectively. The data in K − p are compatible with exchange degeneracy. The results inp¯p show an important structure for |t|> 0.3 (GeV/c) 2 demonstrating the existence of a large helicity flip amplitude.

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.

First data are presented for the polarized-target asymmetry in the reaction π+p→π+pγ at an incident pion energy of 298 MeV. The geometry was chosen to maximize the sensitivity to the radiation of the magnetic dipole moment μΔ of the Δ++(1232 MeV). A fit of the asymmetry in the cross section d5σ/dΩπ dΩγ dk as a function of the photon energy k to predictions from a recent isobar-model calculation with μΔ as the only free parameter yields μΔ=1.64(±0.19expΔ,±0.14 theor)μp. Though this value agrees with bag-model corrections to the SU(6) prediction μΔ=2μp, further clarifications on the model dependence of the result are needed, in particular since the isobar model fails to describe both the cross section and the asymmetry at the highest photon energies.

The spin rotation parameter R has been measured for elastic π − p scattering at 40 GeV/ c , at four momentum transfers t ranging from −0.19 to −0.52 (GeV/ c ) 2 . The average value within this interval is R π − p = -0.200± 0.023. The resulting constraints on the πN scattering amplitudes are discussed. The experiments also yields an average value for K − p scattering, R K − p scattering, R K − p = -0.16±0.16.

We have measured the elastic cross section for pp, p¯p, π+p, π−p, K+p, and K−p scattering at incident momenta of 70, 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200 GeV/c. The range of the four-momentum transfer squared t varied with the beam momentum from 0.0016≤−t≤0.36 (GeV/c)2 at 200 GeV/c to 0.0018≤−t≤0.0625 (GeV/c)2 at 70 GeV/c. The conventional parametrization of the t dependence of the nuclear amplitude by a simple exponential in t was found to be inadequate. An excellent fit to the data was obtained by a parametrization motivated by the additive quark model. Using this parametrization we determined the ratio of the real to the imaginary part of the nuclear amplitude by the Coulomb-interference method.

The spin rotation parameter R has been measured at CERN, for π ± p at 6 GeV c and for π − p at 16 GeV c , with t ranging from −0.19 to −0.51 ( GeV c ) 2 . The parameter A was measured for π − p at 6 GeV c in the interval between t =−0.19 and minus;0.41 ( GeV c ) 2 . The averaged values are the following; R (+6) =−0.08±0.04, R (−6) =−0.23±0.05 and R (−16) =−0.23±0.05. The values obtained for A are close to +1.

The spin rotation sf R in pp and π + p elastic scattering at 45 GeV/c has been measured at the Seppukhov accelarator, for z . sfnc ; t |; ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 (GeV/) 2 . The results are presented, together with previous R measurements at lower energies. The equality of the values for R in proton-proton and pion-proton scattering, within the experimental errors, is a test of factorization of the residues in the pomeron exchange.

None

The polarization parameter P has been measured for elastic π + p, K + p and pp scattering at 45 GeV/c. Four-momentum transfer ranges from −0.08 to −1.1 (GeV/) 2 for pp, and from −0.08 to −0.9 (GeV/) 2 for π + p and K + p. The energy dependence of the polarization P ( t ) in π + p and in K + p above 6 GeV/c incident momentum is compatible with interference between pomeron and Regge poles. On the other hand, the polarization in p p elastic scattering decreases faster than ordinary Regge model predictions. This result can be explained by interference between non flip and flip amplitudes of the pomeron, leading to negative values for the polarization.

Differential cross sections for π − p and pp elastic scattering have been measured at incident momenta ranging from 30 to 345 GeV and in the t range 0.002 (GeV/ c ) 2 ⩽ | t | ⩽ 0.04 (GeV/ c ) 2 . From the analysis of the data, the ratio ϱ ( t = 0) of the real to the imaginary parts of the forward scattering amplitude was determined together with the logarithmic slope b of the diffraction cone.

We have performed the most comprehensive resonance-model fit of $\pi^-\pi^-\pi^+$ states using the results of our previously published partial-wave analysis (PWA) of a large data set of diffractive-dissociation events from the reaction $\pi^- + p \to \pi^-\pi^-\pi^+ + p_\text{recoil}$ with a 190 GeV/$c$ pion beam. The PWA results, which were obtained in 100 bins of three-pion mass, $0.5 &lt; m_{3\pi} &lt; 2.5$ GeV/$c^2$, and simultaneously in 11 bins of the reduced four-momentum transfer squared, $0.1 &lt; t' &lt; 1.0$ $($GeV$/c)^2$, are subjected to a resonance-model fit using Breit-Wigner amplitudes to simultaneously describe a subset of 14 selected waves using 11 isovector light-meson states with $J^{PC} = 0^{-+}$, $1^{++}$, $2^{++}$, $2^{-+}$, $4^{++}$, and spin-exotic $1^{-+}$ quantum numbers. The model contains the well-known resonances $\pi(1800)$, $a_1(1260)$, $a_2(1320)$, $\pi_2(1670)$, $\pi_2(1880)$, and $a_4(2040)$. In addition, it includes the disputed $\pi_1(1600)$, the excited states $a_1(1640)$, $a_2(1700)$, and $\pi_2(2005)$, as well as the resonancelike $a_1(1420)$. We measure the resonance parameters mass and width of these objects by combining the information from the PWA results obtained in the 11 $t'$ bins. We extract the relative branching fractions of the $\rho(770) \pi$ and $f_2(1270) \pi$ decays of $a_2(1320)$ and $a_4(2040)$, where the former one is measured for the first time. In a novel approach, we extract the $t'$ dependence of the intensity of the resonances and of their phases. The $t'$ dependence of the intensities of most resonances differs distinctly from the $t'$ dependence of the nonresonant components. For the first time, we determine the $t'$ dependence of the phases of the production amplitudes and confirm that the production mechanism of the Pomeron exchange is common to all resonances.

The differential cross sections for elastic π − p, K − p , p p and π + p, pp scattering at 39 and 44.5 GeV/ c , respectively, have been measured in the interval of momentum transfer squared 0.15 ≤ ovbt | ≤ 2 (GeV/ c ) 2 .

Results are presented from experiment WA7 at the CERN SPS, which has measured the elastic differential cross sections of π ± p, K ± p, p p and pp at incident momen ta of 20, 30 and 50 GeV/ c . The measurements cover the momentum transfer range 0.5 < | t | < 8 (GeV/ c ) 2 , corresponding to c.m. scattering angles between 10° and 50°. The experimental set-up, trigger logic and data analysis are described. The experimental results are compared with existing meson-proton and nucleon-proton data at lower and higher energies covering the medium- and large-| t | region. Some prominent models and their predictions for elastic scattering at WA7 energies and beyond are reviewed, with emphasis on geometrical scaling, factorizing eikonal models, lowest-order QCD and other dynamical exchange-type models. Results for p p two-body annihilation into π − π + and K − K + at 30 and 50 GeV/ c , obtained in parallel with the elastic p p data, are also presented.

We present preliminary results on the measurement of a variety of exclusive hadron interactions at center of mass scattering angles of 90°. Data are also presented which show the relative transparency of nuclei to πp and pp elastic scattering in this kinematic range.

Cross sections or upper limits are reported for 12 meson-baryon and two baryon-baryon reactions for an incident momentum of 9.9 GeV/c, near 90° c.m.: π±p→pπ±,pp±,π+°±,K+Σ±, (Λ0/Σ0)K0; K±p→pK±; p±p→pp. By studying the flavor dependence of the different reactions, we have been able to isolate the quark-interchange mechanism as dominant over gluon exchange and quark-antiquark annihilation.

Elastic cross-section measurements are presented for π ± −p at 20 GeV/ c and π − −p at 30 GeV/ c incident momenta in the large angle region (50° to 90° in the c.m. system). The data are compared with published lower energy elastic cross sections. A test is made of the dimensional counting rules for π ± −p elastic scattering and some indication of a deviation from this rule is observed in the π − −p case. A comparison is also made with the predictions of the constituent interchange model. Although the broad features of the predictions are confirmed, there are some important discrepancies. Finally, the predictions of the model due to Preparata and Soffer are also compared with the new data.

The angular distribution of π + p elastic scattering has been measured at an incident momentum of 10 GeV/ c . Nearly the whole angular range was covered in one experimental set-up. The pronounced dip at − t = 2.8 (GeV/ c ) 2 , observed at lower momenta, has diminished and is essentially a shoulder at 10 GeV/ c . The other structure at larger momentum transfers are also different in detail from what we observed at 5 GeV/ c . In the 90° c.m. region the differential cross-section is approximately one nb/(GeV/ c ) 2 , which is more than two orders of magnitude lower than at 5 GeV/ c .

None

We present results from a measurement of the differential cross sections for Σ−p, Ξ−p, and π−p elastic scattering at 23 GeV/c. We have collected samples of 6200 Σ−p events, 67 Ξ−p events, and 30 000 π−p events in the interval 0.10<|t|<0.23 (GeV/c)2.

We have measured dσ du for π − p elastic scattering at 3 and 4 GeV c in the ranges −0.119⩽ u ⩽0.113 and −0.233⩽ u ⩽0.088, respectively. A fit of the form d σ /d u = A exp ( Bu + Cu 2 ) gives B = 4.34±0.42 and C = 7.0±3.5 at 4 GeV c with χ 2 = 5.7 for 9 degrees of freedom; the simpler form d σ /d u = A exp( Bu ) gives B = 3.7 ± 0.3 with χ 2 = 9.6. At 3 GeV c we confirm with high statistics the structures already observed.

The asymmetry parameter A in π−p elastic scattering at incident pion laboratory kinetic energies Tπ of 98, 238, and 2922 MeV and in π−p charge-exchange scattering π−p→π0n at Tπ=238, 292, and 310 MeV have been measured over a wide range of scattering angles (typically from about 60° to 130° c.m.) with a polarized proton target. The data have been used in an energy-independent phase-shift analysis to improve the precision of the pion-nucleon phase shifts, to set new limits on violation of isospin conservation in the pion-nucleon S wave, and to confirm significant charge dependence in the P32 wave.

A simple, large-solid-angle apparatus, specially suited for the measurement of backward elastic scattering of medium-energy pions on protons and deuterons, is described. The method of analysis which reduces background and determines elastic events from a data sample of 185 MeV negative pions incident on a D 2 O target is discussed. Results for 141 MeV π + p and 185 MeV π − p backward cross-sections are also presented and compared with cross-sections calculated from known phase shifts.

We have measured the differential cross section for π − p elastic scattering at eight incident momenta, 2.06, 2.26, 2.45, 2.65, 2.86, 3.05, 3.26 and 3.48 GeV/ c , in a wide range of c.m. scattering angle between 15° and 160°. A pronounced dip-bump structure has been found at large angles. Details of the structure are quantitatively described as functions of the incident momentum.

Differential cross sections for pi- p and pi+ p elastic scattering were measured at five energies between 19.9 and 43.3 MeV. The use of the CHAOS magnetic spectrometer at TRIUMF, supplemented by a range telescope for muon background suppression, provided simultaneous coverage of a large part of the full angular range, thus allowing very precise relative cross section measurements. The absolute normalisation was determined with a typical accuracy of 5 %. This was verified in a simultaneous measurement of muon proton elastic scattering. The measured cross sections show some deviations from phase shift analysis predictions, in particular at large angles and low energies. From the new data we determine the real part of the isospin forward scattering amplitude.

Measurements of the differential elastic cross sections for π − p scattering at incident momenta of 20 and 50 GeV c and π + p at 50 GeV c in the momentum transfer range 0.7 < |t|; < 8.0 ( GeV c ) 2 are presented. The data are compared with various models of elastic scattering.

The differential cross-section for elastic scattering π−+p has been determined on the basis of 1 421 events observed in a propane bubble chamber. The angular distribution presents a backward bump (θ>90°) of (31.5±1.3)%. The amplitude at 0° obtained extrapolating the angular distribution by means of a least squares fit is compared with the value obtained from the dispersion relations and the optical theorem. New values of the pion proton cross-sections were taken into account for the dispersion relation integrals. Using the same best fit of the angular distribution a value for the interaction radius is obtained from considerations based on the diffraction scattering part.

The angular distribution π+-p at 1.0 GeV was determined on the basis of l032 events measured in a propane bubble chamber. Comparison is made with data of 820 and 900 MeV and with angular distributions π−+p at similar energies.

We have investigated the interactions of (650±15) MeV π— in a hydrogen bubble chamber. About 104 pictures were examined and 4561 events (1946 elastic, 1204 neutrals, 1315 single-pion production, 96 multi-pion production) were found along a 33.75·105 cm total track length. The values of the deduced cross-sections are σ(π--p, elastic) = = (17.82 ± 0.70) mb, σ(neutrals) = (11.35 ± 0.54) mb, σ(π-π0p) = (4.79 ± 0.26)mb, σ(π-π+n) = (7.05 ± 0.34)mb, σ(π-π+π0n) = (0.71 ± 0.08)mb, σ(π-π0π0p) = (0.05 ± 0.02)mb, σ(total) = (41.82 ± 0.15) mb For the elastic events, the differential cross-section was fitted by a fifth-order polynomial of cos ϑ and also expanded in a sum of Legendre polynomials: we deduce that the higher azimuthal states, up toF5/2, are present. For the single-pion production the effective mass distributions were compared with the Olsson-Yodh isobar model predictions. The agreement with the model is not very satisfactory for the enhancements in the mass effective spectra of the π+π-, π-π0, di-pion channels nor for the c.m.s. angular distributions.

We report a study of 20 exclusive reactions measured at the AGS at 5.9 GeV/c incident momentum, 90° center of mass. This experiment confirms the strong quark flow dependence of two-body hadron-hadron scattering at large angle. At 9.9 GeV/c an upper limit had been set for the ratio of cross sections for (p¯p→p¯p)(pp→pp) at 90° c.m., with the ratio less than 4%. The present experiment was performed at lower energy to gain sensitivity, but was still within the fixed angle scaling region. A ratio R(p¯ppp)≈140 was measured at 5.9 GeV/c, 90° c.m. in comparison to a ratio near 1.7 for small angle scattering. In addition, many other reactions were measured, often for the first time at 90° c.m. in the scaling region, using beams of π±, K±, p, and p¯ on a hydrogen target. There are similar large differences in cross sections for other reactions: R(K−p→π+Σ−K−p→π−Σ+)≈112, for example. The relative magnitudes of the different cross sections are consistent with the dominance of quark interchange in these 90° reactions, and indicate that pure gluon exchange and quark-antiquark annihilation diagrams are much less important. The angular dependence of several elastic cross sections and the energy dependence at a fixed angle of many of the reactions are also presented.

A description is given of an experiment to study elastic scattering of π ± , K ± and p on protons at c.m. scattering angles from 45° to 100° at incident laboratory momenta 20 GeV/ c and 30 GeV/ c . The corresponding t range is from −6.2 (GeV/ c ) 2 to −28 (GeV/ c ) 2 . There are no previous observations for these reactions in this t range. High intensity and large geometrical acceptance were required in order to measure the low cross sections. The experiment used a double-arm spectrometer. MWPCs were used for reconstruction, and threshold and differential Čerenkov counters for identification. Scintillation counters, Čerenkov counters and a hadron calorimeter were used in the trigger. The trigger logic utilized specially designed matrices and a hard wired microprocessor. The π − p elastic scattering cross sections follow approximately the dimensional counting rule from 3.5 GeV/ c .and up to 30 GeV/ c . The cross sections decrease by seven orders of magnitude in this energy range. The data is compared to quark models. None of these models give a comprehensive description of the results. However, some modifications to these models improve their consistency with the data.

We have measured π+p, π−p, and pp elastic scattering at an incident-beam momentum of 200 GeV/c in the region of −t, four-momentum transfer squared, from 0.021 to 0.665 (GeV/c)2. The data allow an investigation of the t dependence of the logarithmic forward slope parameter b≡(ddt)(lndσdt). In addition to standard parametrization, we use functional forms suggested by the additive quark model to fit the measured dσdt distributions. Within the context of this model we estimate the size of the clothed quark in the pion and proton. Limits on the elastic-scattering amplitude derived from unitarity bounds are checked, and no violations are observed.

Approximately 60 000 events have been collected in a spark chamber experiment at the CERN Proton Synchrotron which studied elastic diffraction scattering of π--p and p-p at incident momenta of 8.5, 12.4 and 18.4 GeV/c and of π+-p at 8.5 and 12.4 GeV/c. Magnetic analysis of the incoming and diffraction scattered particle, together with measurement of all angles, permitted each event to be determined as elastic subject to three constraints, so that the inelastic background was rejected with. high efficiency, even at the larger momentum, transfers. Much of the data have been processed by the CERN Automatic Flying-Spot DigitizerHPD. A detailed description of the experimental technique and of the methods of analysis is given. The results, together with data from lower energies, confirm the remarkable energy-independence of the shape of the pion-proton diffraction scattering peak up to |t| = 1.5 (GeV/c)2, wheret is the square of the four-momentum transfer, over a range of pion energies from 2 to 18 GeV. Proton-proton scattering does however appear to show a shrinking diffraction peak. In general, the data agree with other experiments using both counter and bubble chamber techniques, but some differences do appear. During the experiment, data were taken which set an upper limit of 2·102 μb/(GeV/c)2 on the differential elastic cross-section dσ/dt over a range of |t| from 20.9 to 23.4 (GeV/c)2 at 13.4 GeV/c incident pion momentum.