General features of charged particle production in ? interactions at 100 GeV/c

Abstract

We present new data on charged particle production in pp interactions at 100 GeV/c. Comparisons are made between pp annihilations (estimated by differences) between corresponding pp and pp data samples) and e+e− annihilation into hadrons. A technique for separating the inclusive proton and pion spectra is described and the resulting pion spectra are studied in terms of Feynman x, rapidity and pT. Comparison with pp data allows us to estimate the pion spectra in pp annihilations and we find agreement with predictions of Mueller-Regge theory. We also present results on semi-inclusive π± and proton production, give updated topological cross sections and describe further attempts to isolate effects due to annihilations. Finally we investigate the diffractive excitation of the antiproton into low-mass states by studying events with a slow recoil proton.