The differential cross section for elastic scattering of 3.63−GeVc π− mesons on protons was studied with a hydrogen bubble chamber, the emphasis being on large-angle scattering. From 90 to 180° in the barycentric system, the cross section is roughly flat with an average value of 2.7±1.0 μb/sr. Near and at 180°, there may be a slight peak of magnitude 10±6 μb/sr. But if such a peak exists, it is only one-third to one-fourth the size of the 180° peak found in 4.0 GeVc π++p elastic scattering. In addition to comparison with other π−+p and π++p large-angle elastic-scattering measurements, this measurement is compared with large-angle p+p elastic scattering. In the forward hemisphere a small peak or a plateau exists at cos θ*=+0.60. This appears to be a second diffraction maximum such as has been found in lower-energy π+p elastic scattering. A survey of indications of such a second diffraction maximum in other π+p measurements shows that it always occurs in the vicinity of −t=1.2 (GeVc)2, where t is the square of the four-momentum transfer. As the incident momentum increases, the relative size of this second maximum decreases.
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