Using a secondary pion beam from the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron we have studied the process π−p→φn in the region of the cross-section enhancement near kinematic threshold. For incident momenta between 1.6 and 2 GeV/c, we have determined production and decay angular distributions and extrapolated total cross sections from a sample of about 160 φ's above background. The production and decay distributions are consistent with isotropy over this entire incident-momentum range. The extrapolated total cross section varies between 19 and 25 μb.
We have studied neutral final states produced in π−p collisions at momenta of 1.71, 1.89, 2.07, 2.27, and 2.46 GeVc, by observing the γ rays emitted. In particular, measurements are presented of (i) π−p→π0n, for which the Regge-pole fit at momenta ≥5.9 GeVc also agrees rather well here; (ii) π−p→η0n, for which the Regge model which fits at higher energies does not agree here; (iii) π−p→π0γn, in which there is some evidence for a diffraction dissociation process as well as ω0-meson production; (iv) π−p→π0π0n, which is dominated by production of N*0(1236)π0 and by peripheral production of pion pairs. In (iv), the former process is found to fit with the same Reggeized ρ-meson exchange model as charge-exchange scattering, while the latter gives indication of the s-wave ππ interaction. An account is given of new techniques, particularly in the data analysis, which were developed in the course of this work.
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