Low-energy pion production in the pp → pp π0 reaction

Abstract

We consider pion production in the pp → pp π 0 reaction at low pion energies. The total and differential cross sections and the analyzing power of this reaction are calculated. Different assumptions about the dynamics of the πN interaction are analyzed. The obtained results are compared with the experimental data in the energy region under consideration. The pp → pp π 0 cross section turns out to be more sensitive to the off-shell behaviour of the isosymmetric πN amplitude than the pp → d π + cross section.