Energy spectra of charged particles emitted following the absorption of stopped negative pions in 12C nuclei

Abstract

Abstract The energy spectra of charged particles (p, d, t, 3 He, 4 He and Li nuclei) emitted following the absorption of stopped negative pions in carbon targets of different thicknesses (1.227, 0.317, 0.0202 g/cm 2 ) have been measured from the experimental threshold energy of about 0.5 MeV up to the kinematical limit of about 100 MeV. The experiments have been carried out at the biomedical pion channel πE3 of the Swiss Institute of Nuclear Research (SIN). The measured spectra have been corrected for particle and energy losses in the target. They are compared with experimental data obtained by other authors and with the results of intranuclear cascade calculations. Thick target yields have been calculated from the measured spectra. They are of radiobiological importance in determining the biological effect of pion irradiation of tumours.