Double charge exchange and one-pion production in π He collisions at 1.7 GeV/c

We present the results of a study of the exclusive reactions π^{+ 4}He → π⁻ 4p (double charge exchange, DCE) and π^{+ 4}He → π⁺ π⁻ 3pn (one-pion production). The experiment was performed with the Oxford/RHEL helium bubble chamber irradiated with a 1.7 GeV/c π⁺ beam. A general review of DCE models is presented and experimental results at other energies are discussed in the light of these models. None of the existing theoretical models is compatible with out data at 1.7 GeV/c. We propose a new mechanism for DCE, involving three nucleons, which reproduces the integrated as well as the differential cross sections. Some consequences for other models are also discussed.     

Simultaneous measurements of the p+d→(A=3)+π reactions

A stack of annular detectors made of high-purity germanium was used to measure simultaneously pd → ³H π⁺ and pd → ³He π⁰ differential cross sections at beam momenta of 750 MeV/c, 800 MeV/c, and 850 MeV/c over a large angular range. The extracted total cross sections for the pd → ³He π⁰ reactions bridge a gap between near threshold data and those in the resonance region. The ratio of the cross sections for the two reaction channels taken at the same η=p^cm_π/m_π yields 2.11±0.08 indicating that a deviation from isospin symmetry is very small.     

Self energies of the pion and the Δ isobar from the He(e,e′π)H reaction

In a kinematically complete experiment at the Mainz microtron MAMI, pion angular distributions of the ³He(e,e′π⁺)³H reaction have been measured in the excitation region of the Δ resonance to determine the longitudinal (L), transverse (T), and the LT interference part of the differential cross section. The data are described only after introducing self-energy modifications of the pion and Δ-isobar propagators. Using Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) to extrapolate the pion self energy as inferred from the measurement on the mass shell, we deduce a reduction of the π⁺ mass of MeV/c² in the neutron-rich nuclear medium at a density of fm⁻³. Our data are consistent with the Δ self energy determined from measurements of π⁰ photoproduction from ⁴He and heavier nuclei.     

Pionic K X-rays in liquid He

Energies and lorentzian widths of pionic K X-ray transitions have been measured in liquid ³He with improved accuracy. The strong interaction on the π³He 1s level is found to be attractive and to produce an increase in the K transition energies of 34 ± 4 eV; the measured lorentzian width is 36 ±7 eV. Measured values are also presented for K X-ray energies in liquid π⁴He and μ⁴He, the lorentzian width of the 1s level in π⁴He, and relative intensities of K X-ray transitions in π³He, π⁴He and μ⁴He. The measurements are compared with those of others and with recent theoretical calculations.     

Measurements of interaction cross sections and radii of He isotopes

Secondary beams of ³He, ⁴He, ⁶He, and ⁸He were produced through the projectile fragmentation of an 800 MeV/nucleon ¹¹B primary beam. Interaction cross sections (σ_I) of all He isotopes of 790 MeV/nucleon on Be, C, and Al targets were measured by a transmission-type experiment. The interaction nuclear radii of He isotopes R_I(He) = (σ_I/π)^1/2 − R _I(T) where R_I(T) is the radius of the target nucleus, have been deduced to be R_I(³He) = 1.59 ± 0.06 fm, R_I(⁴He) = 1.40 ± 0.05 fm, R_I(⁶He) = 2.21 ± 0.06 fm, and R_I(⁸He) = 2.52 ± 0.06 fm.     

Medium effects in coherent pion photo- and electroproduction on He and C

Coherent π⁰ photo- and electroproduction on ⁴He and ¹²C nuclei is investigated in the framework of a distorted wave impulse approximation in momentum space. The elementary process is described by the recently developed unitary isobar model. Medium effects are considered by introducing a phenomenological Δ self-energy. Recent experimental data for ⁴He and ¹²C can be well described over a wide range of energies and emission angles by the assumption that the Δ–nuclear interaction saturates.     

Inelastic electron scattering from He

The spectra of electrons scattered inelastically from ⁴He have been measured at incident energies from 150 MeV to 400 MeV for scattering angles from 38° to 90°. Through the use of a liquid ⁴He target, a high momentum resolution (≈0.25%) was obtained, and the 20 MeV 0⁺ state of the -particle was observed for the first time in electron scattering. The excitation energy and the total width of this state were determined and are in good agreement with the results from other experimental methods. It was found that the total disintegration cross section appears be smaller than 2(σ_p+σ_n) by more than an order of magnitude at the lowest q²(≈ 0.33 fm⁻²). In earlier work the assumption of a total cross section of 2(σ_p+σ_n) was found to be quite accurate for higher q². As a new result, the partial radiative width for the 0⁺ state is determined to be Γ_rad = 1.1±0.3 meV.     

Hadron-nucleus bound states

A new type of nuclear spectroscopy to study hadron-nucleus bound states is described. The first successful experiment was to search for deeply bound π⁻ states in heavy nuclei using the ²⁰⁸Pb(d,³He) reaction at GSI, in which a narrow peak arising from the 2p π⁻ orbital coupled with the neutron-hole states was observed at 135 MeV excitation energy. An improved experiment has just been carried out to separately identify the 1s and 2p π⁻ states. These experiments provide important information on the local potential strength, from which the effective mass of π⁻ is deduced to be 20 MeV. This method will be extended to search for η and ω bound states as well as for K⁻ bound states. The advantage of the bound-state spectroscopy versus invariant mass spectroscopy is emphasized.     

A study of the Ti(He, t) and Ni(He, t) reactions to isobaric analogue states

The (³He, t) reaction populating 0⁺ and 2⁺ states in ^{58, 60}Cu and ^{46, 48}V which are isobaric analogue states (IAS) of the 0⁺ ground states and 2⁺ first excited states in ^{58, 60}Ni and ^{46, 48}Ti have been studied at an incident ³He energy of 24.6 MeV. Triton spectra were measured for the targets ^46,48Ti, ^natNi and ⁵⁸Ni and angular distributions for the 0⁺ and 2⁺ IAS of ^{46, 48}Ti and ^{58, 60}Ni determined. The data were obtained using a magnetic spectrometer and position-sensitive detectors. The results have been analysed using DWBA theory. The 0⁺ → 0⁺ transitions to analogue states are described quite well using a microscopic form factor derived from a nucleon-nucleon interaction. However, with a Gaussian form, the m.s. radius of this interaction is only limited to the region 0–9 fm². Comparisons with data at other incident energies indicate that the strength of the effective interaction is strongly energy dependent. The Coulomb energies and (³He, t) angular distributions of the states assigned as the 2⁺ analogues in ⁴⁸V and ^58,60Cu are not described well by the models investigated. The ⁴⁶V 2⁺ IAS angular distribution is reproduced by a microscopic calculation, however. The ratios of the 0⁺ → 2⁺ IAS to the 0⁺ → 0⁺ IAS transitions are used to deduce a quadrupole deformation for the valence neutrons. The difference in the quadrupole deformations of the matter and proton distributions, as determined by other means, is found to be correlated with those of the valence neutrons. Several transitions to non-analogue states are also investigated.     

A microscopic three-cluster model in the hyperspherical formalism

The hyperspherical formalism is applied in the framework of the microscopic generator-coordinate method. Three-cluster systems are described with a single generator coordinate, the hyperradius. This model is a natural extension of previous microscopic theories, and can be applied to bound states and resonances in a range of nuclei exhibiting a cluster structure. As an illustrative example, the model is applied to ⁶He and ⁶Li. Density distributions and electric dipole transition strengths are calculated, including B(E2;0⁺→2⁺) in ⁶He. The results are consistent with a neutron halo structure for the ground state of ⁶He, and with a proton–neutron halo structure of its isobaric analog state in ⁶Li. No 1⁻ “soft dipole” resonance is found in ⁶He.     

Binding and pauli principle corrections in subthreshold pion-nucleus scattering

In this investigation I develop a three-body model for the single scattering optical potential in which the nucleon binding and the Pauli principle are accounted for. A unitarity pole approximation is used for the nucleon-core interaction. Calculations are presented for the π−⁴He elastic scattering cross sections at energies below the inelastic threshold and for the real part of the π−⁴He scattering length by solving the three-body equations. Off-shell kinematics and the Pauli principle are carefully taken into account.

The binding correction and the Pauli principle correction each have an important effect on the differential cross sections and the scattering length. However, large cancellations occur between these two effects. I find an increase in the π−⁴He scattering length by 100%; an increase in the cross sections by 20–30% and shift of the minimum in π−⁴He scattering to forward angles by 10°.     

The Li(K, π)ΣH reaction and narrow Σ states

Small-angle cross sections are calculated for ⁶Li(K⁻, π⁺)_Σ⁶H at 720 MeV/c, in order to intepret the data of the preceding paper. Due to the spin-isospin selectivity of ΣN → ΛN conversion, the substitution 1s_N → 1s_Σ leads to a narrow resonance high in the Σ continuum. Further tests of selectivity with ^3,4He targets are suggested. The energy shifts of Σ states which arise from the spin-isospin dependence of the ΣN interaction are discussed.     

π Meson interaction on He at 120, 145 and 165 MeV

The total cross sections and the differential cross sections of π⁺-⁴He elastic and inelastic reactions at E_π=120, 145 and 165 MeV have been measured using a 38 cm diffusion cloud chamber in a magnetic field exposed to the Frascati Laboratories' pion beam. Total π⁺ track lengths of (2141 ± 10) × 10³ cm, (3435 ± 10) × 10³ cm and (2413 ± 10) × 10³ cm were measured at the three considered energies, respectively. The elastic cross-section data are in good agreement with the results of the Dubna-Torino collaboration. The total inelastic cross sections have been obtained taking into account the contributions from all the inelastic channels. The analysis of the various inelastic processes has allowed us to distinguish five main reaction mechanisms, which compare reasonably with the existing data and with the models for pion-light-nuclei interactions.     

Current conservation, meson-exchange currents, and magnetic form factors of He and H

The effect of the requirement of current conservation for meson-exchange currents containing the πNN form factor is investigated for the magnetic form factors of ³He and ³H. The effect is substantial for the pionic current contribution but is small for the total contribution to the momentum transfer, Q 5 fm⁻¹.     

Escape of charged particles at stopping annihilation of antiprotons in the heavy nuclei of nuclear photoemulsion

“Rare” annihilation channels for antiprotons stopping on heavy (Ag, Br) nuclei of photoemulsion, have been sought; 4872 stops of antiprotons on photoemulsion nuclei are analysed. Events of formation and decay of the hyperfragment _Λ⁴H, escape of ⁸He and ⁸Li nuclei, one-prong stars with the mean range 79.5±5.1 μm of secondary slow “b” particles are found among the annihilation stars at capture on nuclei (Ag, Br). The lower limits for the production probability of _Λ⁴H and ⁸He, ⁸Li nuclei per antiproton stopping in the nuclei (Ag, Br) are

W_Λ⁴H2×10⁻⁴ and W_⁸He,⁸Li=(1.3±0.6)×10⁻³.

The branching ratio for the production of one-prong stars with the secondary “b” particles is at least (1.3±0.6)×10⁻³. Possible mechanisms for a production of these events in annihilation processes are considered.     

Pion-transfer (n, d) and (d, He) reactions leading to deeply bound pionic atoms

Theoretical studies are given on the (n, d) and (d, ³He) reactions leading to deeply bound pionic atoms in heavy nuclei of configuration [(nl)_π·j_n⁻¹]J. The cross sections for various pionic and neutron-hole configurations in the case of a ²⁰⁸Pb target are calculated at incident energies 300–1000 MeV/u by using the effective number approach and the eikonal approximation for distortion. The effective number with a pion in the 1s or 2p state and a neutron hole in the orbit peaks around the same incident energy (T_n = 600 MeV) as the elementary cross section n+n→d+π⁻, where the momentum transfer matches the angular-momentum transfer of L = 5–7. The DWIA cross section for (n,d) producing a pion in the 1s or 2p orbit at T_n = 600 MeV is found to be around 42 or 75 μb/sr, respectively. At T_n = 350 MeV, where the momentum transfer is small, quasi-substitutional states of configurations and are preferentially populated with (n, d) cross sections of 95 and 190 μb/sr, respectively. The (d, ³He) cross sections are estimated to be an order of magnitude smaller than the (n, d) cross sections. Thus, the (n, d) and (d, ³He) reactions are found to be suited for the production of deeply bound pionic atoms.     

Hadronic production by ee collisions at the energy 990 MeV with the Orsay storage ring

Data were taken at the energy 2E = 990 MeV to search for multibody events, with the same large solid angle detector which has been used for the measurement of the , ω andφ production by e⁺e⁻ annilations. Assuming a π⁺π⁻π⁰π⁰ production by the quasi two-body process e⁺e⁻ → → ωπ⁰ we give the correspondi ng cross section σ(e⁺e⁻ → π⁺π⁻π⁰π⁰) = (1.1 ± 0.5) 10⁻³² cm². Since no events with 3 and 4 charged pions have been observed σ(e⁺e⁻ → π⁺π⁻π⁰π⁻) 1.5 × 10⁻³³ cm².     

Coherent and incoherent η-photoproduction from nuclei

Elastic and inelastic η-photoproduction from complex nuclei is studied in a distorted-wave impulse approximation (DWIA) framework. The elementary operator is obtained by using a dynamical model which employs the reactions πN→πN, πN→ππN and π⁻p→ηn to fix the hadronic vertex as well as the isobar propagators and the process γN→πN to constrain the electromagnetic vertex. The nuclear structure input for the inelastic transitions has been extracted from electron-scattering form factors. The η final-state interaction has been included via a simple optical potential using the ηN t-matrix as an input. We find that coherent η-production is dominated by the D₁₃(1520) isobar while spin-flip transitions to excited nuclear states are sensitive to the S₁₁(1535) resonance. Predictions are given for coherent production on ⁴He, ¹²C and ⁴⁰Ca, as well as incoherent production on ⁶Li, ¹⁰B and ¹²C.     

Symmetry breaking and the decays ψ′ → J/ψπ(η) and J/ψ → η(η′) γ

The theoretical mechanisms for the decays ψ′ → ψπ⁰ and ψ′ → ψη, which violate SU₂ and SU₃, respectively discussed. It is argued that symmetry breaking in the decay amplitudes may be as important as π⁰ −η −η′ mixing. The π⁰ −η mechanism ψ′ → ψν → ψπ⁰ leads to Γ(ψ′ → ψπ⁰) = (3.3±1.0) × 10⁻³ Γ(ψ′ → ψν), but this number may be enhanced by a factor as large as 12 by π⁰−η′ mixing and isospin violation in the decay amplitude. The related decays ψ → ηγ and ψ → η′γ are also discussed.     

Multiquark cluster effect in a three-body system

The charge density of ³He was calculated in the hybrid quark-hadron model. The results clearly show that the multiquark cluster effect in ³He is most likely responsible for the observed central “hole” of ³He charge density.