Large-Angle Neutron-Proton Elastic Scattering from 3.0 to 6.8 GeV/c

Abstract

We present extensive new data on cross sections for neutron-proton elastic scattering from 3.0 to 6.8 GeV/c. At the higher momenta the cross sections are found to be nearly symmetric about 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the c.m. system for $|cos\ensuremath{\theta} |\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.3$. This symmetry implies that the contribution to the cross section from interference terms between the isospin-0 and isospin-1 amplitudes is small in this angular region. Other implications of the data are also discussed.