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.

In an inclusive experiment, isotopically resolved fragments, 3≤Z≤13, produced in high-energy proton-nucleus collisions have been studied using a low mass time-of-flight, gas ΔE-silicon E spectrometer and an internal gas jet. Measurement of the kinetic energy spectra from 5 to 100 MeV enabled an accurate determination of fragment cross sections from both xenon and krypton targets. Fragment spectra showed no significant dependence on beam energy for protons between 80 and 350 GeV/c. The observed isobaric yield is given by YαAf−τ, where τ∼2.6 for both targets; this also holds for correlated fragment data. The power law is the signature for the fragment formation mechanism. We treat the formation of fragments as a liquid-gas transition at the critical point. The critical temperature Tc can be determined from the fragment isotopic yields, provided one can set an energy scale for the fragment free energy. The high energy tails of the kinetic energy spectra provide evidence that the fragments originate from a common remnant system somewhat lighter than the target which disassembles simultaneously via Coulomb repulsion into a multibody final state. Fragment Coulomb energies are about 110 of the tangent sphere values. The remnant is characterized by a parameter T, obtained from the high energy tails of the kinetic energy distributions. T is interpreted as reflecting the Fermi momentum of a nucleon in this system. Since T≫Tc, and T is approximately that value expected for a cold nucleus, we conclude that the kinetic energy spectra are dominated by this nonthermal contribution. [NUCLEAR REACTIONS Xe(p,X), Kr(p,X), 80≤Eq≤350 GeV; measured σ(E,θ), X=Li to Al, θ=34∘. Fragmentation.]

Neutron angular distributions from the charge-exchange (π0n) and inelastic modes (π0π0n,π+π−n) of the π−−p interaction have been investigated at 313 and 371 MeV incident-pion kinetic energy. The data were obtained with an electronic counter system. Elastic and inelastic neutrons were separated in the all-neutral final states by time of flight. At both energies the charge-exchange differential cross section at the forward neutron angles differs from that determined by Caris et al. from measurements of the π0-decay gamma distributions, but generally agrees with the phase-shift-analysis calculations of Roper. The distribution of inelastic neutrons from both modes shows a strong preference for low center-of-mass neutron energies. The distribution of these neutrons does not correspond to that expected from the I=0, π−π interaction (ABC effect) suggested to account for the anomaly in p−d collisions observed by Abashian et al. Finally, all available charge-exchange differential-cross-section data from this and other experiments were combined by at least-squares fit to a Legendre expansion of the form dσdΩ*(cosθπ0*)=Σl=0NalPl(cosθπ0*) with the following results (in mb/sr):

Differential cross sections for elastic π±−p scattering have been measured at lab momenta of 8 and 12 GeV/c in a momentum-transfer region corresponding to 1.2≤−t≤6 (GeV/c)2. Also, differential cross sections near 180° were measured for 4 and 8 GeV/c pions. At momentum transfers greater than −t=2 (GeV/c)2, the π−p cross sections drop much faster with increasing angle than the corresponding p−p cross sections. Also, in the region −t≃1.3 (GeV/c)2, there is structure in the π−p angular distribution but not in the p−p angular distribution. At −t≃3 (GeV/c)2, the drop in cross section appears to stop and from then on the angular distribution is consistent with isotropy. But in the angular region 170° to 180°, the cross sections have become much larger, and sharp backward peaks are observed. Information is given on the energy and charge dependences and widths of these backward peaks.

We present differential cross-section measurements for π−p elastic scattering in the backward direction, with −0.94>cosθc.m.>−1.0, for eleven beam momenta from 2.15 to 6 GeV/c.

Results on the following π−p reactions involving a hyperon are studied at 4.5 and 6.0 GeV/c from a high-statistics bubble-chamber experiment. (1) π−p→(Λ, Σ0)K0: Differential cross sections and hyperon polarizations are presented. Comparison with the line-reversed reactions K¯N→(Λ, Σ0)π indicates the failure of the predictions of K*(890) and K*(1420) exchange degeneracy. Effective trajectories for these two reactions are compared. Shrinkage is observed in K¯N→Λπ and not in π−p→ΛK0. (2) π−p→(Λ, Σ0)K*(890)0: Differential cross sections, hyperon polarizations, and K*(890)0 density-matrix elements are determined. ΛK*(890)0 decay correlations are found to impose strong constraints on the scattering amplitudes. The data indicate that both natural- and unnatural-parity exchanges contribute large, but opposite, Λ polarizations. This behavior cannot be explained by a simple exchange model utilizing K and the exchange-degenerate K*(890) and K*(1420) only. Additional trajectories or absorption effects are required to obtain the observed Λ-polarization effects. Comparison of ΛK*(890)0 and Σ0K*(890)0 indicates the greater importance of unnatural-parity exchange in the former reaction. We observe no evidence for deviations from isospin predictions in ΛK*(890)0 production where K*(890)0→K+π− and KS0π0. (3) π−p→ΛK*(1420)0 and ΛK*(1300)0: K*(1420)0 density-matrix elements satisfying positivity constraints are determined allowing for s-wave interference effects. Evidence of the existence of a narrow K*(1300)0→Kππ with a dominant K+ρ− decay mode is observed in the 4.5- and 6-GeV/c data. (4) Σ(1385), Λ(1405), Λ(1520) production: Differential cross sections for the quasi-two-body reactions π−p→Y0K0, where Y0 is Λ(1405), Λ(1520), or Σ(1385)0, are presented and found to have a very similar flat slope in the forward direction. Data for forward K+ scattering in the reaction π−p→Σ(1385)−K+ are presented and discussed. It is argued that this forward peak cannot be explained by kinematic reflection or an s-channel effect and therefore must be due to either two-particle exchange or a single exotic exchange in the t channel.

The π−+p→π0+n differential cross section at 180° has been measured for 52 values of π− momentum from 1.8 to 6.0 GeV/c using a constant-geometry detection system. The average statistical uncertainty is ∼5% and the systematic uncertainty is ∼10%. The details of the experiment and the data analysis are discussed. The data are compared with those of other experiments with which they are generally in agreement. One set of data disagrees with those presented here and a possible reason for this is discussed. A five-parameter fit of the predictions of a dual-resonance model to our data gave excellent agreement. The differential cross sections at 180° for π±p elastic scattering have been compiled and the moduli and relative phase of the T=12 and T=32 pion-nucleon s- and u-channel amplitudes (|A12|, |A32|, and cosδ) have a minimum at u=0.4 GeV/c and, in the s channel, a corresponding minimum at s=2.2 GeV/c.

The differential cross section for π±−p elastic scattering at 180° was measured from 0.572 to 1.628 GeVc using a double-arm scintillation-counter spectrometer with an angular acceptance θ* in the center-of-mass system defined by −1.00≤cosθ*≤−0.9992. The π+−p cross section exhibits a large dip at 0.737 GeVc and a broad peak centered near 1.31 GeVc. The π−−p cross section exhibits peaks at 0.69, 0.97, and 1.43 GeVc.

The differential cross sections for γ p→ π + n from hydrogen and the π − π + ratios from deuterium were measured at nine c.m. angles between 30° and 150° for laboratory photon energies between 260 and 800 MeV. A magnetic spectrometer with three layers of scintillation hodoscope was used to detect charged π mesons. The cross section for γ n→ π − p was obtained as a product of d σ d Ω (γ p →π + n ) and the π − π + ratio. The overall features in the cross sections of the two reactions, γ p→ π + n and γ n→ π − p, and in the ratios, π − π + , agree with predictions by Moorhouse, Oberlack and Rosenfeld, and Metcalf and Walker. An investigation of the possible existence of an isotensor current was made and a negative result was found. In detailed balance comparison with the new results on the inverse reaction π − p→ γ n, no apparent violation of time-reversal invariance was observed.

We present differential cross-sections for the electro-production of single charged pions from deuterium for a virtual photon mass squared −1.0 GeV2 and for pion nucleon masses in the range 1.23–1.68 GeV (the 1st and 2nd resonance regions). The data are compared with predictions from fits to hydrogen data.