Longitudinal phase space analysis of six-body events. Aachen-Berlin-Bonn-CERN-Cracow-Dubna-Durham-Heidelberg-Nijmegen-Paris (E.P.)-Saclay-Torino-Warsaw Collaboration

The reaction πp → p5 π has been studied in six-prong events of π⁺p interactions at 5, 8 and 16 GeV/ c and of π^-p interactions at 5, 11 and 16 GeV/ c, using the longitudinal phase space (LPS) technique. The energy dependence of cross sections in LPS sectors was found to depend on the charge and the baryon number "exchanged" between the primary pion and the group of forward-going secondary particles. Selection of certain LPS sectors greatly improves the separation of resonances from background. A strong correlation has been observed between fast forward beam-like pions and protons slow in the c.m.s. A simple interpretation of this observation is discussed.