Differential cross sections for the elastic scattering of negative pi mesons on protons (π−−p→π−−p) were measured at the Berkeley Bevatron at five laboratory kinetic energies of the pion between 500 and 1000 MeV. The results were least-squares fitted with a power series in the cosine of the center-of-mass scattering angle, and total elastic cross sections for π−−p→π−−p were obtained by integrating under the fitted curves. The coefficients of the cosine series are shown plotted versus the incident pion laboratory kinetic energy. These curves display as a striking feature a large value of the coefficient of cos5θ* peaking in the vicinity of the 900-MeV resonance. This implies that a superposition of F52 and D52 partial waves is prominent in the scattering at this energy, since the coefficients for terms above cos5θ* are negligible. One possible explanation is that the F52 enhancement comes from an elastic resonance in the isotopic spin T=12 state, consistent with Regge-pole formalism, and the D52 partial-wave state may be enhanced by inelastic processes. At 600 MeV the values of the coefficients do not seem to demand the prominence of any single partial-wave state, although the results are compatible with an enhancement in the J=32 amplitude. A table listing quantum numbers plausibly associated with the various peaks and "shoulders" seen in the π±−p total cross-section curves is presented.

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.

Report on the investigation of interactions in π−p collisions at a pion momentum of 1.59 GeV/c, by means of the 50 cm Saclay liquid hydrogen bubble chamber, operating in a magnetic field of 17.5 kG. The results obtained concern essentially the elastic scattering and the inelastic scattering accompanied by the production of either a single pion in π−p→ pπ−π0 and nπ−π+ interactions, or by more than one pion in four-prong events. The observed angular distribution for the elastic scattering in the diffraction region, can be approximated by an exponential law. From the extrapolated value, thus obtained for the forward scattering, one gets σel= (9.65±0.30) mb. Effective mass spectra of π−π0 and π−π+ dipions are given in case of one-pion production. Each of them exhibits the corresponding ρ− or ρ0 resonances in the region of ∼ 29μ2 (μ = mass of the charged pion). The ρ peaks are particularly conspicuous for low momentum transfer (Δ2) events. The ρ0 distribution presents a secondary peak at ∼31μ2 due probably to the ω0 → π−π+ process. The branching ratio (ω0→ π+π−)/(ω0→ π+π− 0) is estimated to be ∼ 7%. The results are fairly well interpreted in the frame of the peripheral interaction according to the one-pion exchange (OPE) model, Up to values of Δ2/μ2∼10. In particular, the ratio ρ−/ρ0 is of the order of 0.5, as predicted by this model. Furthermore, the distribution of the Treiman-Yang angle is compatible with an isotropic one inside the ρ. peak. The distribution of\(\sigma _{\pi ^ + \pi ^ - } \), as calculated by the use of the Chew-Low formula assumed to be valid in the physical region of Δ2, gives a maximum which is appreciably lower than the value of\(12\pi \tilde \lambda ^2 = 120 mb\) expected for a resonant elastic ππ scattering in a J=1 state at the peak of the ρ. However, a correcting factor to the Chew-Low formula, introduced by Selleri, gives a fairly good agreement with the expected value. Another distribution, namely the Δ2 distribution, at least for Δ2 < 10 μ2, agrees quite well with the peripheral character of the interaction involving the ρ resonance. π− angular distributions in the rest frame of the ρ exhibit a different behaviour for the ρ− and for the ρ0. Whereas the first one is symmetrical, as was already reported in a previous paper, the latter shows a clear forward π− asymmetry. The main features of the four-prong results are: 1) the occurrence of the 3/2 3/2 (ρπ+) isobar in π−p → pπ+π−π− events and 2) the possible production of the ω0→ π+π−π0 resonance in π−p→ pπ−π+π−π0 events. No ρ’s were observed in four-prong events.

The exclusive process π−p→ρ−p has been measured at 90° c.m. with an incident pion momentum of 9.9 GeV/c. We present data on the angular dependence of the decay ρ−→π−π0. We observe a strong azimuthal dependence in the decay in the c.m. helicity frame of the ρ. Such an azimuthal dependence is not compatible with SU(6) valence-quark perturbation calculations.

Results are presented on the topological cross sections obtained for antiproton-proton interactions from an exposure of the Fermilab 30-inch bubble chamber to a 100 GeV/ c negative beam enriched in p 's. The p p inelastic cross section is found to be σ inel = 34.6 ± 0.4 mb, and the average inelastic charged particle multiplicity to be 〈 n 〉 = 6.74 ± 0.05.

Invariant single-particle cross sections for pion and proton production in π ± p interactions at 8 and 16 GeV/ c are presented in terms of integrated distributions as functions of x , reduced rapidity ζ and p ⊥ 2 , and also in terms of double differential cross sections E d 2 σ /(d x d p ⊥ 2 ) and d ζ d p ⊥ 2 ). A comparison of π ± and π − induced reactions is made and the energy dependence is discussed. It is shown that the single-particle structure function cannot be factorized in its dependece on transverse and longitudinal momentum. For the beam-unlike pion, there is an indication for factorizability in terms of rapidity and transverse momentum in a small central region.

Measurements of π±p backward elastic scattering have been made for incident pion momenta between 30 and 90 GeV/c and for 0<−u<0.5 (GeV/c)2. The momentum dependence of the cross sections is of a form expected from a simple Regge model, and the u dependence of the cross sections is similar to that observed at lower momenta.

Backward elastic scattering of π± on protons has been measured for incident pion momenta between 30 and 90 GeV/c and 0≤−u≤0.5 (GeV/c)2. The u dependence of the cross sections is similar to that observed at lower momenta, and Regge models give acceptable fits to the data.

Measurements are reported of the differential cross section for the reaction π − +p→ ω +n from threshold to a final-state c.m. momentum P ∗ of 200 MeV /c . The previously reported fall in total cross section σ/P ∗ below about 100 MeV/ c is again seen. The differential cross section remains close to isotropic over the entire range. A paralle experiment on the variation in the elastic differential cross section across the threshold shows evidence of this threshold. The elastic data cover a range of incident moments from 1010 to 1180 MeV/ c in steps of 5 MeV/ c .

From an experiment done with the CERN Omega spectrometer, triggered by a fast forward proton device, we present results on the differential cross section d σ d u for π − p backward elastic scattering. The d σ d u distribution agrees with an A e Bu law. The compilation of existing results shows a discrepancy between results but the ( d σ d u ) u=0 data fit perfectly an s 2 α 0 −2 dependence, as predicted by a single Δδ Regge trajectory exchange. A search for the reaction π − p → d p , with a fast forward deuteron, which can be produced by a double-baryon exchange mechanism, gives cross-section upper limits of ∼1% of the backward elastic cross section.