We have measured the cross section of four charged pion production in photon-photon interactions in the invariant mass range 1.0≦Wγγ≦3.2 GeV and up toQ2=16 GeV2. For 1.2 GeV≦Wγγ≦1.7 GeV the process is dominated by ρ0ρ0 production with a rapid rise in cross section around 1.2 GeV, well below the nominal ρ0ρ0 threshold. The observed distributions in the two particle masses and in the production and decay angles are well described by an incoherent sum of the phase-space subprocesses γγ →ρ0ρ0, →ρ0π+π−, and →π+π−π+π−. A spin-parity analysis of the ρ0ρ0 system showsJP=2+ to dominate, although 0+ is also possible forWγγ≦1.4 GeV. Negative partity states are excluded.
Fractions of subprocesses from 3-parameter fit to the no-tag data.
Fractions of subprocesses from 2-parameter fit to the no-tag data in limited energy range. The Q=1R contribution is set equal to zero.
Fractions of subprocesses from 3-parameter fit to the single-tag data.
A search for the reactionsγγ→ωω andγγ→ρ0ω has been carried out at an averagee+e− CM energy of 34.6 GeV with an integrated luminosity of 45 pb−1. Upper limits are set for these two channels over the γγ CM Energy range of 1.6 to 2.5 GeV. The cross section is determined for the exclusive channelγγ→π+2π−π0.
Data read from graph.
Data read from graph.
Data read from graph.