A STUDY OF THE Π^+P ELASTIC REACTION FROM 2.0 TO 2.5 GEV/C

Abstract

This thesis describes an experiment to study the reactions π +p -> Κ+ Σ + and π+ p -> π+ p at 26 incident pion momenta between 1.282 and 2.473 GeV/c. Approximately 17 million events were collected using the Rutherford Multipartic Spectrometer. In the thesis the design, configuration, adjustment and performance of a high pressure Cerenkov counter used, is described. Elastic differential cross-sections are presented in this thesis at 13 momenta between 1.997 and 2.473 GeV/c, and with angular range between -0.97 < cosθ* < +0.32. A novel method is used to discriminate between "forward" and "backward" elastic events of cosθ* near the one of the genuine kinematic ambiguity. A compensation for decision errors committed during this forward to backward selection is incorporated in the above method. Comparisons are made between the differential cross-sections and the results of previous experiments.