Inclusive single-particle distributions and transverse momenta of forward produced charged hadrons in μp scattering at 470 GeV

Using data from the Fermilab fixed target experiment E665, general properties of forward produced charged hadrons in μp interactions at a primary muon energy of 470 GeV are investigated. The normalized inclusive singleparticle distributions for Feynman-x D(xF ) and for the transverse momentum D(p ² _t , xF ) are measured as a function of W and Q ². The dependence of the average transverse momentum squared 〈p ² _t〉 on xF , W and Q ² is studied. The increasing contribution from diffractive production as Q ² decreases leads to a reduction of the average charged hadron multiplicities at low (positive) xF and an enhancement at large xF , for Q ² ? 10 GeV². It also reduces 〈p ² _t〉 for Q2 ? 5 GeV2 and 0.4 ? xF < 1.0.