We report a measurement of the reaction γγ→K+K−π+π− in both tagged and untagged events at PEP. The cross section rises with invariant γγ mass to about 15 nb at 2 GeV and falls slowly at higher masses. We find clear evidence for the processes γγ→φπ+π− and γγ→K*0(892)Kπ. Upper limits (95% C.L.) of 1.5 and 5.7 nb in the mass range from 1.7 to 3.7 GeV are obtained for φρ0 and K*0K¯*0 production, respectively.

Results are presented on the exclusive production of four-prong final states in photon-photon collisions from the TPC/Two-Gamma detector at the SLAC e+e− storage ring PEP. Measurement of dE/dx and momentum in the time-projection chamber (TPC) provides identification of the final states 2π+2π−, K+K−π+π−, and 2K+2K−. For two quasireal incident photons, both the 2π+2π− and K+K−π+π− cross sections show a steep rise from threshold to a peak value, followed by a decrease at higher mass. Cross sections for the production of the final states ρ0ρ0, ρ0π+π−, and φπ+π− are presented, together with upper limits for φρ0, φφ, and K*0K¯ *0. The ρ0ρ0 contribution dominates the four-pion cross section at low masses, but falls to nearly zero above 2 GeV. Such behavior is inconsistent with expectations from vector dominance but can be accommodated by four-quark resonance models or by t-channel factorization. Angular distributions for the part of the data dominated by ρ0ρ0 final states are consistent with the production of JP=2+ or 0+ resonances but also with isotropic (nonresonant) production. When one of the virtual photons has mass (mγ2=-Q2≠0), the four-pion cross section is still dominated by ρ0ρ0 at low final-state masses Wγγ and by 2π+2π− at higher mass. Further, the dependence of the cross section on Q2 becomes increasingly flat as Wγγ increases.

We report cross sections for the process γγ→pp¯ at center-of-mass energies W from 2.0 to 2.8 GeV. These results have been extracted from measurements of e+e−→e+e−pp¯ at an overall center-of-mass energy of 29 GeV, using the TPC/Two-Gamma facility at the SLAC storage ring PEP. Cross sections for the untagged mode [both photons nearly real] are shown to lie well above QCD predictions. Results are also presented for the single-tagged mode [one photon in the range 0.16<Q2<1.6 (GeV/c)2].

We report measurements of the two-photon processes e+e−→e+e−π+π− and e+e−→e+e−K+K−, at an e+e− center-of-mass energy of 29 GeV. In the π+π− data a high-statistics analysis of the f(1270) results in a γγ width Γ(γγ→f)=3.2±0.4 keV. The π+π− continuum below the f mass is well described by a QED Born approximation, whereas above the f mass it is consistent with a QCD-model calculation if a large contribution from the f is assumed. For the K+K− data we find agreement of the high-mass continuum with the QCD prediction; limits on f′(1520) and θ(1720) formation are presented.

The cross section for inclusive multipion production in the pp->ppX reaction was measured at COSY-ANKE at four beam energies, 0.8, 1.1, 1.4, and 2.0 GeV, for low excitation energy in the final pp system, such that the diproton quasi-particle is in the 1S0 state. At the three higher energies the missing mass Mx spectra show a strong enhancement at low Mx, corresponding to an ABC effect that moves steadily to larger values as the energy is increased. Despite the missing-mass structure looking very different at 0.8 GeV, the variation with Mx and beam energy are consistent with two-pion production being mediated through the excitation of two Delta(1232) isobars, coupled to S-- and D-- states of the initial pp system.

The angular and energy distributions of pions produced by 650-MeV protons and pion-nucleon correlations were studied using a liquid hydrogen bubble chamber. The present investigation indicates that the experimental angular distributions of neutral and charged pions are consis- tent with the assumption of isotopic spin conservation. The contributions of rrN subsystem states with isospin T 11'N = 7' 2 and % are measured; the contribution of the latter is 72 ± 3%.

We have studied nonstrange p¯−p interactions observed in 7000 pictures of the 80-in. Brookhaven National Laboratory hydrogen bubble chamber exposed to an antiproton beam with a momentum of 6.94 BeVc. The total cross section was measured to be 58.7±2.8 mb, and the elastic interaction cross section 14.2±1.2 mb. The elastic differential cross section for four-momentum transfers (−t)≤0.3 (BeVc)2 is well described by the exponential form dσeldt=(dσdt)t=0ebt, where b=13.1±1.1 (BeVc)−2. The single-pion production cross section is 4.0±0.9 mb. This channel proceeds 70% through resonance formation. N*(1238) isobar and anti-isobar formation dominates pion production in four- and six-pronged events; the double-isobar formation cross section in the final state pπ+p¯π− is 1.35±0.2 mb. Isobar production was observed to be consistent with the predictions of a dominant one-particle-exchange process. The pion-annihilation process, which has a cross section of 25±5 mb, shows substantial pion resonance formation.

In an exposure of the Brookhaven National Laboratory 20-in. hydrogen bubble chamber to a separated π+ beam at π+ momenta of 2.35 BeV/c (center-of-mass energy E*=2.30 BeV), 2.62 BeV/c (E*=2.41 BeV), and 2.90 BeV/c (E*=2.52 BeV), we have observed production of the ω0, ρ0, and η0 mesons. The production of the ω0, ρ0, and η0 is often accompanied by simultaneous production of the N*++. The momentum transfer in ω0 and ρ0 production is characteristic of peripheral collisions and suggests a single-particle exchange for the production mechanism. The decay distributions for the ω0, ρ0, and the ρ+ demonstrate the importance of modifying the single-particle-exchange model to include absorptive effects. An upper limit on the two-π decay of the ω0 is set at 2%. The width of the η0 is found to be less than 10 MeV. Elastic-scattering distributions are presented.

A bubble-chamber experiment in which the reaction π−+p→π+π+N was studied at a beam momentum of 2.14 BeV/c yielded 1533 and 2234 events of the final states π−π0p and π−π+n, respectively. These events are dominated by the formation of the ρ resonance, which is produced mostly in the forward direction. Both the production and decay angular distributions of the ρ− agree very well with the predictions of the one-pion exchange theory modified by absorption effects. The decay angular distribution of the ρ0 shows the well-known forward-backward asymmetry. This effect is interpretable as the result of the interference between the ρ0 and an isospin-zero s-wave π−π resonance. The production of the ρ0, in addition to its forward peak, shows a weak backward peak. Partial cross sections of various final states are also presented.

A systematic study has been made of the reactions pp→pp and pp→pN* in the angular range from θlab=10∘ to θc.m.=90∘ at 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 GeVc. An orthogonal dispersion magnetic spectrometer detected protons from interactions in hydrogen with momentum transfer (−t) in excess of 0.5 (GeV)2. Well-defined peaks in the missing-mass spectra occurred at average N* masses of 1240±6, 1508±2, and 1683±3 MeV with average full widths of 102±4, 92±3, and 110±4 MeV, respectively. Below 2400 MeV no other significant enhancements were found. The N* production cross sections dσdt near θc.m.=90∘ are in qualitative agreement with the predictions of the statistical model. For each isobar the differential cross section at fixed energy varies as exp(−vv0), where v≡[−tu(t+u)]; v0 varies systematically with energy and tends toward the same value (≈0.4 GeV2) for each isobar at the upper limit of our energy range.