The A-Dependence of Pion Absorption in the Energy Region of the DELTA(1232) Resonance

The absorption of pi^+ at 118, 162, and 239 MeV on ^3He, ^4He, N, and Ar has been studied using the Large Acceptance Detector System (LADS) at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen, Switzerland. LADS has a solid angle coverage of over 98% of 4pi steradians and an energy threshold of less than 20 MeV for protons, making it an almost ideal detector for studying multi-nucleon final states following pion absorption. The total absorption cross sections at the three energies are, in millibarns: ^3He - 24.8 +/- 2.1, 24.2 +/- 3.1, and 8.1 +/- 2.7; ^4He - 49.5 +/- 3.1, 48.0 +/- 3.8, and 21.9 +/- 4.1; N - 181.6 +/- 9.9, 163.4 +/- 10.5, and 107.0 +/- 9.9; Ar - 393.2 +/- 20.6, 366.1 +/- 21.8, and 281.8 +/- 21.1. With the exception of ^3 He, these are the most accurate measurements reported to date. In addition, the breakup into channels with different numbers of energetic final state nucleons has been determined. The average number of nucleons participating in the absorption reaction has been found to increase more slowly with A than previously reported. Differential spectra show clear signatures of small contributions from initial state interactions, and indicate the presence of at least some final state interactions. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.).