Photoabsorption cross sections in hydrogen and deuterium have been measured from 3.7 to 17.9 GeV. The energy dependences are similar to those of strong-interaction total cross sections, as expected from the vector-meson-dominance model. The magnitude of σT(γp) can be compared with data from γp→ρ0p to determine a γ−p coupling constant, γρ24π=0.37±0.03. This value disagrees with that obtained on the ρ mass shell, and hence there is only qualitative agreement with the vector-meson-dominance model.

The slope b(s) of the forward diffraction peak of p−p elastic scattering has been measured in the momentum-transfer-squared range 0.005≲|t|≲0.09 (GeV/c)2 and at incident proton energies from 8 to 400 GeV. We find that b(s) increases with s, and in the interval 100≲s≲750 (GeV)2 it can be fitted by the form b(s)=b0+2α′lns with b0=8.23±0.27, α′=0.278±0.024 (GeV/c)−2.

Final total cross sections are given for a counter experiment at SLAC on hadronic photon absorption in hydrogen, deuterium, carbon, copper, and lead at incident energies from 3.7 to 18.3 GeV. Some of the nucleon cross sections have been revised and the C, Cu, and Pb data from 3.7 to 7.4 GeV have not been reported previously. The cross sections for complex nuclei vary approximately as A0.9 in our energy range, indicating that the photon interacts, at least partially, as a strongly interacting particle. The energy dependences of the proton and neutron cross sections are also similar to those of hadron-nucleon cross sections and hence may be fitted by a typical Regge parametrization, yielding σT(γp)=(98.7±3.6)+(65.0±10.1)ν−12 μb and σT(γn)=(103.4±6.7)+(33.1±19.4)ν−12 μb, where ν is the photon energy in GeV. These extrapolate to the same value at infinite energy, consistent with Pomeranchukon exchange, and the energy-dependent part yields an isovector-to-isoscalar-exchange ratio of 0.18 ± 0.06. While these observations are qualitatively consistent with vector meson dominance, quantitatively vector dominance fails in relating our results to ρ photo-production on hydrogen or to experiments determining the ρ-nucleon cross section. Vector dominance cannot be rescued by assuming that the ρ-photon coupling constant depends on the photon mass. Instead, an additional short-range interaction is apparently required, possibly due to a heavy (≳ 2 GeV / c2) vector meson or to a bare-photon interaction. The additional interaction accounts for approximately 20% of the total photoabsorption cross section.

We have measured cross sections, rapidity and transverse momentum distributions, and vector meson polarization for the reactions pp→ ϱ o +anything, pp→ ω +charged particles, and pp → K ∗± + anything at incident laboratory momenta of 12 and 24 GeV/ c . We discuss various consequences of our results as well as possible connections with lepton pair production.

Results on multiplicities, topological cross sections, total particle production cross sections, and correlations between charged particle and π 0 production are presented for pp interactions at 12 and 24 GeV/ c incident laboratory momentum. Inclusive production of π ± , K s 0 , p , Λ, Σ ± and Λ is studied; particle spectra are shown in single and double differential form and are compared, in different kinematic regions, with data obtained at other incident momenta and with other beam particles.

The average charged particle multiplicity, 〈 n ch ( M X 2 )〉, in the reaction K + p→K o X ++ is studied as a function of the mass squared, M X 2 , of the recoil system X and also as a function of the K o transverse momentum, p T , at incident momenta of 5.0, 8.2 and 16.0 GeV/ c . The complete data samples yield distributions which are not independent of c.m. energy squared, s , They exhibit a linear dependence on log ( M X 2 X / M o 2 )[ M o 2 =1 GeV 2 ] with a change in slope occurring for M X 2 ≈ s /2, and do not agree with the corresponding distributions of 〈 n ch 〉 as a function of s for K + p inelastic scattering. Sub-samples of the data for which K o production via beam fragmentation, central production and target fragmentation are expected to be the dominant mechanisms show that, within error, the distribution of 〈 n ch ( M X 2 )〉 versus M X 2 is independent of incident momentum for each sub-sample separately. In particular in the beam fragmentation region the 〈 n ch ( M X 2 )〉 versus M X 2 distribution agrees rather well with that of 〈 n ch 〉 versus s for inelastic K + p interactions. The latter result agrees with recent results on the reactions pp → pX and π − p → pX in the NAL energy range. Evidence is presented for the presence of different production mechanisms in these separate regions.

The neutron-proton elastic differential cross section has been measured for incident momenta between 10 and 70 GeV/c and for values of the momentum transfer squared between 0.1 and 2.8 (GeV/c) 2 . The forward peak and the break at about ∣ t ∣ = 1 (GeV/ c ) 2 are very similar to corresponding pp data.

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The differential cross sections for neutron-proton charge-exchange scattering have been measured with high statistics in the region of momentum transfer squared 0.002 < | t | ⩽ 0.400 (GeV/ c ) 2 and for incident neutron momenta 9 < p ⩽ 23 GeV/ c .

The energy dependence of the modulus and phase of the K L 0 -K S 0 regeneration amplitude on hydrogen in the range of 14–50 GeV has been investigated at the Serpukhov 70 GeV accelerator. It has been established that the modulus of the modified regeneration amplitude decreases with increasing momentum as 2|ƒ 21 0 (p)|/k = (0.84 ± 0.42) · p −0.50±0.15 mb . The amplitude phase is energy-independent and its mean value is ϕ 21 0 = −132° ± 5°. The results obtained are compared with other experiments and with predictions of different theoretical models.