Comparison of large-angle production of charged pions with incident protons on cylindrical long and short targets

The HARP collaboration Apollonio, M. ; Artamonov, A. ; Bagulya, A. ; et al.
Phys.Rev.C 80 (2009) 065204, 2009.
Inspire Record 830148 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.54193

The HARP collaboration has presented measurements of the double-differential pi+/pi- production cross-section in the range of momentum 100 MeV/c <= p 800 MeV/c and angle 0.35 rad <= theta <= 2.15 rad with proton beams hitting thin nuclear targets. In many applications the extrapolation to long targets is necessary. In this paper the analysis of data taken with long (one interaction length) solid cylindrical targets made of carbon, tantalum and lead is presented. The data were taken with the large acceptance HARP detector in the T9 beam line of the CERN PS. The secondary pions were produced by beams of protons with momenta 5 GeV/c, 8 GeV/c and 12 GeV/c. The tracking and identification of the produced particles were performed using a small-radius cylindrical time projection chamber (TPC) placed inside a solenoidal magnet. Incident protons were identified by an elaborate system of beam detectors. Results are obtained for the double-differential yields per target nucleon d2 sigma / dp dtheta. The measurements are compared with predictions of the MARS and GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations.

54 data tables

Differential cross section for PI+ production with a C target in the angular range 0.35 to 0.55 radians.. The errors are the square root of the diagonal elements of the covariant matrix.

Differential cross section for PI+ production with a C target in the angular range 0.55 to 0.75 radians.. The errors are the square root of the diagonal elements of the covariant matrix.

Differential cross section for PI+ production with a C target in the angular range 0.75 to 0.95 radians.. The errors are the square root of the diagonal elements of the covariant matrix.

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Measurement of the production of charged pions by protons on a tantalum target

The HARP collaboration Catanesi, M.G. ; Radicioni, E. ; Edgecock, R. ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.C 51 (2007) 787-824, 2007.
Inspire Record 752890 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.51527

A measurement of the double-differential cross-section for the production of charged pions in proton--tantalum collisions emitted at large angles from the incoming beam direction is presented. The data were taken in 2002 with the HARP detector in the T9 beam line of the CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton beams in a momentum range from 3 \GeVc to 12 \GeVc hitting a tantalum target with a thickness of 5% of a nuclear interaction length. The angular and momentum range covered by the experiment ($100 \MeVc \le p &lt; 800 \MeVc$ and $0.35 \rad \le \theta &lt;2.15 \rad$) is of particular importance for the design of a neutrino factory. The produced particles were detected using a small-radius cylindrical time projection chamber (TPC) placed in a solenoidal magnet. Track recognition, momentum determination and particle identification were all performed based on the measurements made with the TPC. An elaborate system of detectors in the beam line ensured the identification of the incident particles. Results are shown for the double-differential cross-sections ${{\mathrm{d}^2 \sigma}} / {{\mathrm{d}p\mathrm{d}\theta}}$ at four incident proton beam momenta (3 \GeVc, 5 \GeVc, 8 \GeVc and 12 \GeVc). In addition, the pion yields within the acceptance of typical neutrino factory designs are shown as a function of beam momentum. The measurement of these yields within a single experiment eliminates most systematic errors in the comparison between rates at different beam momenta and between positive and negative pion production.

18 data tables

Double-differential cross section for PI+ production in the LAB system for PI+ polar angle from 0.35 to 0.55 radians.

Double-differential cross section for PI+ production in the LAB system for PI+ polar angle from 0.55 to 0.75 radians.

Double-differential cross section for PI+ production in the LAB system for PI+ polar angle from 0.75 to 0.95 radians.

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