SubthresholdK + production in proton-nucleus collisions as a probe for short range nucleon correlations

Double differential cross sections for nearthreshold and subthreshold production ofK ⁺ with momentum 1.28 GeV/c at 10.5 degree on Be, Al and Cu targets had been measured. The experiment was performed with FH Spectrometer at ITEP PS in projectile proton kinetic energy range 2.9 – 1.65 GeV. The performed analysis of the excitation functions and target atomic mass dependencies evidences for high order multinucleon correlations are involved in deep subthreshold kaon production.     

Self-similarity of low-p T cumulative pion production in proton-nucleus collisions at high energies

The experimental data on inclusive spectra of the π⁺ mesons produced in p + A collisions at the incident proton momentum of 400 GeV/c obtained by G. Leksin group at FNAL are analyzed in the framework of z-scaling. Self-similarity of the hadron production in the low-p _T cumulative region is verified. Scaling function ψ(z) for the Li, Be, C, Al, Cu, Ta nuclei is constructed. It is expressed via the invariant cross section and average multiplicity density of charged particles. Results of the analysis of the low-p _T data are compared with the high-p _T data sets obtained by J. Cronin, R. Sulyaev and D. Jaffe groups. A microscopic scenario of p + A interactions in terms of momentum fractions x ₁, x ₂ is discussed. Indication on self-similarity of the cumulative pion production in p + A collisions over a wide kinematical range has been found. Based on the universality of the shape of the scaling function the inclusive cross sections of the π⁺ mesons produced in p + A collisions on the Li, Be, C, Al, Cu, Ta targets in deep-cumulative region (x ₂ ? 1/A) are predicted.     

Core-breakup reactions of the halo nuclei 11Be and 11Li: momentum distributions and shadow effects

The halo nuclei ¹¹Be and ¹¹Li have been studied in core-breakup reactions where the halo neutrons are expected to be released without a major distortion due to the reaction. The widths of the halo-neutron momentum distributions have been extracted in coincidence with He fragments, Γ = 32 ± 4 MeV/c, and Li fragments, Γ = 42 ± 4 MeV/c for ¹¹Be and with He fragments, Γ = 42 ± 6 MeV/c for ¹¹Li. The ¹¹Be breakup gives a very low neutron multiplicity of 0.38±0.09 which is a manifestation of the shadowing of the neutron in the core-breakup reaction. This value can be understood from a simple theoretical calculation, which also accounts for the observed transverse momentum widths at small angles.     

Production of Λ hypernuclei in π+ A interactions

The production of Λ hyperons in π⁺ A interactions is studied on the basis of the intranuclear-cascade model, and the excitation-energy, momentum, angular-momentum, charge, and mass distributions of the ensemble of product hypernuclei are determined. The decay of excited hypernuclei via particle emission and fission is considered. It is shown that, for the production of heavy Λ hypernuclei, the optimal momentum of the incident π⁺ meson is about 1 GeV/c. The cross section of the channel in which heavy-nucleus decay induced by a π⁺ meson is accompanied by the emission of a K ⁺ meson is estimated, and it is proposed to use the reaction (π⁺, K ⁺ f) in measurements of the fission barrier in hypernuclei and of their level density.     

Multiparticle emission in the interactions of hadrons with complex nuclei at incident momenta from 2 to 4 GeV/c

The charged secondary particles emitted in inelastic reactions of 4 GeV/cπ⁺ and π^? with the nuclei Be, Cu and Ta are thoroughly studied in their multiplicities, particle correlations and the distributions of kinematical variables, with the 1 m hydrogen bubble chamber into which the three nuclear target plates were installed. The numbers of charged secondaries emitted in the π^?(2.3 GeV/c), π⁺(2 GeV/c) and p(4 GeV/c) reactions are also investigated. From these data, characteristic features of the multiplication process of secondaries in nuclear matter are clarified. The experimental results are compared with the calculation of an intra-nuclear cascade model which takes into account the process of pion absorption by two-nucleon clusters in the nucleus. It is found that the experimental results on the properties of charged secondaries are consistently explained by the model. The model can also give an account of the experimental finding that fairly high momentum protons are emitted from the heavier nuclei into the backward hemisphere in the lab system.     

Analysis of the reaction K−p → K−π−π+p at 40 GeV/c

The reaction K^?p → K^?π^?π⁺p has been measured at 25 and 40 GeV/c at the Serpukhov Proton Accelerator. The production cross section at 25 and 40 GeV/c as a function of momentum transfer and Kππ mass is presented, and results of the partial-wave analysis of the Kππ system yielding information about Q(1300), K¹(1400) and L(1770) mesons are discussed.     

Inclusive production from 10 GeV/c K+ on nuclei and comparison with the same production on hydrogen

Transverse and longitudinal distributions for the K⁰ inclusive production induced by 10 GeV/c K⁺ incident on complex nuclei are obtained. They are compared with the same distributions on hydrogen from K⁺ at comparable energies. Some differences are observed in the rapidity distribution of K⁰ when produced on nuclei and on free protons. These differences are correlated with the fast charged tracks multiplicity associated with the observed K⁰.     

Direct muon production in proton-nuclear collisions at 70, 50 and 35 GeV

Direct muon yields (μ^±) in the transverse momentum range of 1.9–3.1 GeV/c on Cu and Be nuclei at the proton energies 70, 50 and 35 GeV have been measured. The yield of direct μ/π is shown to considerably decrease when proton energy varies from 70 to 35 GeV. The charge ratio of direct muon μ⁺/μ^? as well as the dependence of the yield of direct muons on the atomic number of the target have been measured.     

The vertex constant for the virtual decay of a nucleus into two charged particles within the effective range theory

Explicit expressions for the virtual a → b + c decay vertex constant (or the asymptotic normalization factor) for charged particles b and c are obtained for the first time using the effective range function K(k ²) for the standard effective range expansion and for the case where K(k ²) has a pole. The bound and resonant states of the ²He nucleus and the resonant states of the ²He and ⁸Be nuclei are considered as physical examples. A trajectory in the complex momentum plane is constructed for the transition from the resonant state to the virtual state while the Coulomb interaction gradually decreases.     

Self-similarity of Low-p T cumulative pion production in proton-nucleus collisions at U70

The data on inclusive momentum spectra of π^± mesons produced in p + A collisions over the range p _L =15–65 GeV/c and θ _lab = 159° at U70 are analyzed in the framework of z-scaling approach. Self-similarity of the pion production in the low-p _T cumualtive region is verified. Scaling function ψ(z) for Be, C, Al, Ti, Mo, W nuclei is constructed. It is expressed via the invariant cross section and the average multiplicity density of charged particles. Results of the analysis are compared with data obtained by J. Cronin, R. Sulyaev, and D. Jaffe groups at p _L = 70, 400 GeV/c, p _T > 1 GeV/c and θ _cms ? 90°. A microscopic scenario of p + A interactions in terms of momentum fractions x ₁, x ₂ is discussed. Indication on self-similarity of the low-p _T cumulative pion production in p + A collisions was found. Universality of the shape of the scaling function is used to predict inclusive cross sections of π⁺ and π^? pions produced in p + A collisions on Be, C, Al, Ti, Mo, W targets in the deep-cumulative region (x ₂ ? 1/A).     

Subthreshold and near-threshold K +-meson production on light nuclei by protons

Inclusive K ⁺-meson production in proton-nucleus collisions in the near-threshold and subthreshold energy regimes is analyzed with respect to the one-step (pN → K ⁺ YN, Y=Λ, Σ) and two-step (pN → NNπ, NN2π; πN → K ⁺ Y) incoherent production processes. An appropriate folding model is used that properly takes into account the struck-target-nucleon-removal energy and the momentum distribution (nucleon spectral function), novel elementary cross sections for proton-nucleon reaction channel close to threshold, as well as nuclear-mean-field-potential effects on the one-step and two-step kaon-creation processes. A detailed comparison of the model calculations of the K ⁺ total and differential cross sections for the p+⁹Be and p+¹²C interactions with the existing experimental data is given, which displays both the relative role of the primary and secondary production channels at considered incident energies and those features of the cross sections that are sensitive to the high-momentum and high-removal-energy parts of the nucleon spectral function. It is found that, contrary to previous studies known in the literature, the pion-nucleon production channels do not necessarily dominate in pA collisions at subthreshold energies and that the relative strength of the proton-and pion-induced reaction channels for light target nuclei in the subthreshold energy regime is governed by the kinematics of the experiment under consideration.     

K+P elastic scattering at 32 GeV/c

Elastic scattering of 32.1 GeV/c K⁺ on protons has been measured in a bubble chamber experiment. Results are presented in the momentum transfer interval 0.06–1.40 GeV² and compared with data at different energies. An effective Regge trajectory is calculated using K⁺p elastic data from 10 to 175 GeV/c.     

Neutral kaon production in K+p interactions at 32 GeV/c

The production of neutral kaons in the reaction K⁺p → Kⁿ + X is studied at the incident momentum of 32 GeV/c. Inclusive cross sections and single-particle distributions are presented and compared with the data at lower energies. The total inclusive cross section amounts to 7.9 ± 0.3 mb at 32 GeV/c and is significantly higher than at lower energies due to the rapid rise of multikaon production. The fraction of Kⁿ's coming from the decay of the K¹ resonances stays roughly constant with energy between 8.2 and 32 GeV/c. In the central and beam fragmentation regions the single-particle distributions reveal no energy dependence between the 16 and 32 GeV/c data in contrast with the behaviour at lower energies, while in the proton fragmentation region the data are compatible with the trend observed at lower energies and with theoretical expectations.     

Cross section determination for the reaction K+p → K+pπ+π−π0 and K+π+π+π−n at 8.2 and 16 GeV/c

The cross sections for the reactions: (a) K⁺p → K⁺pπ⁺π^?π⁺ and (b) K⁺p → K⁺π⁺π⁺π^?n have been determined at 8.2 and 16 GeV/c with the following results:at 8.2 GeV/c: (a) 0.99 ± 0.07 mb, (b) 0.41 ± 0.04 mb;at 16 GeV/c: (a) 0.72 ± 0.05 mb, (b) 0.28 ± 0.05 mb.Using the available data at other energies, the cross-section dependence of these reactions on the incident momentum is discussed.     

Pion and kaon production in 70 GeV/c K − p interactions

Results are presented on the total and differential cross sections for the production of π⁺, π^?, γ, \(\bar K^0 \) ,K ⁰,K ⁺, andK ^? in theK ^? p interactions at 70 GeV/c. The energy dependence of the various production processes shows in paticular a strong rise of the γ cross section and an increase of the average transverse momentum of the charged pion in the fragmentation regions.     

Λc5He and Λc9Be charmed nuclei versus Λ5He and Λ9Be hypernuclei

A comparative study is made for _Λc⁵He and _Λc⁹Be charmed nuclei versus _Λ⁵He and _Λ⁹Be hypernuclei. The Λ_c(Λ)+α and Λ_c(Λ)+α+α systems are treated in a microscopic way. Within certain range of the Λ_cN interaction strength, the energy properties of Λ_c+α and Λ_c+α+α are calculated and discussed. Similarity between the energy spectra of the noted charmed nuclei and hypernuclei is suggested.     

K+ momentum spectrum from (K−, K+) reactions in the intranuclear cascade model

In the framework of intranuclear cascade (INC) type calculations, we study the momentum spectrum in the reactions (K⁻, K⁺) at a beam momentum of 1.65 GeV/c. The INC model calculations are compared with the relativistic impulse approximation (RIA) calculations to perform a detailed study of the reaction mechanism. We find that the INC model can reproduce the experimental data on various targets. Especially, in the low-momentum region, the forward-angle cross sections of the (K⁻, K⁺) reaction from light to heavy targets are consistently explained with the two-step strangeness exchange and production processes with various intermediate mesons, and φ, a₀ and f₀ productions and their decay into K⁺K⁻. In the two-step processes, inclusion of meson and hyperon resonances is found to be essential.     

Kaon-nucleon partial-wave amplitudes below 1.5 GeV/c for I = 0 and 1

Kaon-nucleon partial-wave amplitudes for isospin I = 0 and 1 are presented from a simultaneous phase-shift analysis of K⁺p and K⁺d data in the region below 1.5 GeV/c kaon lab momentum.     

Antikaon production and medium effects in proton-nucleus reactions at subthreshold beam energies

Inclusive K ^?-meson production in proton-nucleus collisions in the subthreshold-energy regime is analyzed within an appropriate folding model for incoherent primary proton-nucleon and secondary pion-nucleon production processes, which takes properly into account the struck-target-nucleon momentum and removal-energy distribution (nucleon spectral function), novel elementary cross sections for proton-nucleon reaction channels close to threshold, as well as nuclear mean-field potential effects on the one-step and two-step antikaon-creation processes. A detailed comparison of the model calculations of the K ^? differential cross sections for the reactions p+⁹Be and p+⁶³Cu at subthreshold energies with the first experimental data obtained at the ITEP proton synchrotron is given. It displays both the relative role of the primary and secondary production channels at incident energies considered and the contributions to K ^? production that come from the use of the single-particle part and high-momentum-energy part of the nucleon spectral function. It is found that the pion-nucleon production channel does not dominate in the subthreshold “hard” antikaon production in p ⁹Be and p ⁶³Cu collisions and that the main contributions to the antikaon yields here come from the direct K ^?-production mechanism. The influence of the nucleon, kaon, and antikaon mean-field potentials on the K ^? yield is explored. It is shown that the effect of the nucleon mean field is of importance in explaining the considered experimental data on “hard” antikaon production, whereas the K ⁺ andK ^? optical potentials play a minor role. The sensitivity of subthreshold “soft” antikaon production in p ⁹Be reactions to the nucleon, kaon, and antikaon mean fields is studied. It is demonstrated that, contrary to the case of “hard” antikaon production, the K ^? potential has a very strong effect on the K ^? yield, which is comparable with that from the nucleon effective potential.