Particle production by 8 GeV/c protons incident on Al, Cu, Pb and W

Abstract

Measurements of pion, proton and kaon production from a lead target in the 8 GeV/c external proton beam of NIMROD have been made for production angles of 0° and 5° as a function of secondary momentum. The measurements confirm that pion production cross-sections are increasing more rapidly with primary momentum at 8 GeV/c than above 12 GeV/c. There is evidence of an enhancement of zero degree π+ production at 3 GeV/c secondary momentum which is not inconsistent with peripheral production ofN* (1238). Comparison of several target materials suggests that pion fluxes from copper are as much as 80% higher than from other dense materials. Empirical formulae which describe pion production at higher primary momenta are considered in relation to the data.