a Study of the Energy Dependence of Certain Single Particle Inclusive Cross Sections at Beam Momenta Between 4 and 20 Gev/c.

An experiment to measure the energy dependence of hadronic single particle inclusive processes a + b ( --->) c + X, X = all additional secondaries, using a magnetic, single-arm, multiwire proportional chamber spectrometer is described. Cross sections integrated over secondary momenta between 300 MeV/c and 600 MeV/c and laboratory production angles in (DELTA)(theta) = 62 - 3.2/p 3(DEGREES) are presented from reactions initiated by projectiles a = (pi)('(+OR-)), K('(+OR-)), p, and p. Proton fragment secondaries detected and identified include c = (pi)('(+OR -)), K('+), and p. Data at projectile (beam) momenta 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 20 GeV/c were acquired at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. Within the BNL regime, pion and kaon inclusive production data are found consistent with the form A + Bs('- 1/2), s = (p(,a) + p(,b))('2), suggested by A. H. Mueller's extension of the optical theorem and application of a simple Regge pole model to inclusive processes. Cross sections for proton production are resonant at beam momentum 6 GeV/c, making application of the Regge-Mueller phenomenology inapplicable at BNL energies. Cross sections for p + p (--->) (pi)('(+OR-)) + X rise as energy increases, suggesting study of scaling variables other than s('- 1/2). Data on these reactions produced at the ISR by Capiluppi et al., with s(' 1/2) = 23.3 GeV, fall below the fits to A + Bs('- 1/2), when integrated over the acceptance employed in this dissertation. Thus, asymptotic cross section values A deduced from BNL data employing the linear (energy)('-1) dependence above are inaccurate for reactions with B (NOT=) 0. Ratios of asymptotic energy inclusive cross sections deduced using A + Bs('- 1/2) do not agree with 200 GeV/c total cross section ratios, in general. If the ISR data are used as estimates of the asymptotic limits of proton -induced inclusive pion production, it is found that. (DIAGRAM, TABLE OR GRAPHIC OMITTED...PLEASE SEE DAI). since in this experiment (pi)('+) + p (--->) (pi)(' -) + X displays no energy dependence. Thus, approximate projectile independence and factorization hold in reactions where asymptotic limits have been reached.