Low energy hadron production data and current status of CERN measurements

Abstract

Data on low-energy hadron production in collisions of nucleons, pions and kaons with light nuclei are needed for many astrophysical and accelerator applications. Modern simulations have reached a level of accuracy that the lack of detailed understanding of hadron production processes has become one of the most important limitations to further improvements. After giving some examples of hadroproduction processes in astrophysics and neutrino experiments we briefly review existing fixed-target data on light nuclei. Preliminary results and prospects of current CERN measurements (HARP, NA49) are discussed.