Energy dependence of two-nucleon pion absorption on 16O.

Abstract

Inclusive [sup 16]O([pi][sup +],[ital p]) and exclusive [sup 16]O([pi][sup +],2[ital p]) data are presented for 115 MeV and 165 MeV pions. Using a combination of distorted-wave impulse approximation (DWIA) calculations for two-nucleon absorption and phase space simulations for more complicated processes, the data are fit and the total direct two-nucleon absorption cross sections are extracted. These cross sections fall faster with energy than [pi][sup +][ital d][r arrow][ital pp]. The DWIA calculations were used to calculate the effects of final state interactions (FSI). After correcting for FSI, the two-nucleon absorption process is found to dominate at 115 MeV, becoming less important as the incident energy increases to 165 MeV. The decrease with energy in the two-nucleon fraction of the total absorption cross section is found to be in remarkably good agreement with theoretical predictions.