The construction of a K L 0 beam for the CERN 2 m hydrogen bubble chamber and the derivation of the beam momentum spectrum are described. Cross sections are presented for the reaction K L 0 +p → K S 0 + π + + π − +p for K L 0 momenta up to 17 GeV/ c . The reacti is seen to be dominated, particularly at the highest momenta, where there are no previous data, by the production of the Q 0 - Q 0 system. The shapes of the t -distributions for Q 0 and Q 0 prodcution are found to be different in a sense opposite to that expected from the pion-exchange Deck model. A model in which the observed effect is ascribed to the addition of a K ∗ exchange Deck graph is found to be incompatible with the data. The data are, however, consistent with a model in which the Q 0 - Q 0 system is largely resonant and the sense of the cross-over is determined by the s -channel quantum numbers.

We discuss a measurement of the differential cross section for the reaction KLp→KSp for incident momenta between 5 and 10 GeV/c and the |t| region 0.025 to 0.5 (GeV/c)2, carried out using the SLAC 15-in. rapid-cycling hydrogen bubble chamber triggered by the K0 spectrometer facility. This hybrid detector allowed measurement of the KL beam momentum, measurement of the recoil-proton momentum, and measurement of the decay position and momentum of the KS. Over this momentum region the ratio of the real to imaginary part of the forward-scattering amplitude was determined to be 0.93±0.24 and the phase of the forward-scattering amplitude was determined to be -(138±7)°. A fit to the forward differential cross section of the form dσdt∝p2α(t)−2 to our data together with previous measurements of the KLp→KSp differential cross section at this and lower momenta yielded an α(0)=0.39±0.10 for the dominant ω Regge trajectory. The value of α(0) as determined from the phase φ=−π[α(0)+1]2 is 0.54±0.11.

Results are presented on vector meson production in the hypercharge exchange reactions: π + p → K ∗+ (890) Y + and K − p→ ρ − Y + where Y + is either Σ + or Y ∗+ (1385). These reactions have been studied at 7 GeV/ c and 11.5 GeV/ c using the SLAC Hybrid Facility. Total and differential cross sections, hyperon polarization, and vector meson decay angular distributions are presented. We find that reactions with Σ + production are dominated by natural parity exchange. The Y ∗ (1385) reactions are consistent with substantial natural parity exchange contributions but also show significant unnatural parity exchange. The differential cross sections and polarization measurements for the vector meson production are compared to the pseudoscalar production reactions.

A description is given of an experimental study of exchange degeneracy (EXD) in hypercharge-exchange reactions using the line-reversed partners π + p→K + Σ + (K − p→ π − Σ + ) and π + p→ K + Σ + (1385) (K − p→ π − Σ + (1385)) at incident momenta of 7.0 and 10.1 GeV/ c . Both pairs of reaction were measured in the same apparatus, with particular care being taken to minimize relative normalization errors. For the Σ production reactions we present high statistics measurements of the differential cross sections and polarizations from t ′=0 to large t . The general trends of the data agree with naive expectations from weak EXD. The cross-section difference in the extreme forward direction at the higher momentum is consistent with zero and there is a general reduction in the cross-section differences going from the lower to the higher momentum. The polarizations are approximately equal in magnitude and of opposite sign between the two reactions. On the other hand, the data do not agree with the detailed predictions of EXD. The slope for the positive reaction is systematically steeper in the forward region than for the negative reaction and there is a complex s and t dependence for the cross-section differences including a cross-over at t ⋍ −0.8( GeV /c) 2 . For the Σ(1385) production reactions, we present differential cross-section measurements in the forward region (| t |<0.3(GeV/ c ) 2 ). The cross-section differences are substantial and essentially constant over the s and t ranges studied.

We have studied hypercharge exchange in two pairs of line-reversed reactions at 7 GeV/ c incident beam momentum in a triggered bubble chamber experiment at the SLAC Hybrid Facility. The experiment was carried out with the particular object of testing the predictions of exchange degeneracy using the same apparatus. We present differential and total cross sections for the reactions π + p → K + Σ + , K − p →π − Σ + and π + p → K + Y ∗+ (1385), K − p →π − Y ∗+ (1385) from a π + exposure of sensitivity 150 events/μb and a K − exposure of 100 events/μb. In each case we have measured the polarization of the final-state hyperon for | t |<1.0 (GeV/ c ) 2 by direct observation of its decay in the bubble chamber. We present results from an amplitude analysis of the Y ∗ (1385) reactions and find agreement with the predictions of the additive quark model. The Σ + polarization data are consistent with weak exchange degeneracy but the predicted equality of the differential cross section is not observed.

The cross section for the K L 0 p elastic scattering has been measured for the first time. The incident momentum and momentum transfer ranges are 3 ⩽ p ⩽ 13 GeV/ c , 0.1 ⩽ | t | ⩽ 1.3 GeV 2 . The results are compared to those of other experiments related to ours by isotopic spin conservation, finding agreement with some and discrepancies with others. The differential cross sections have been parametrized in the form A e bt . The coefficients show little or no dependence on energy, with A ≅ 9.8 mb · GeV −2 and b ≅ 4.7 GeV −2 . The effective linear trajectory has been determined and gives α 0 = 0.95 ± 0.15, α ′ = −0.35 ± 0.48 GeV −2 , in good agreement with dominance by pomeron exchange.

We present experimental data on the K L 0 p → K S 0 p reaction between 4 and 14 GeV/ c in the range 0.1 ≲ | t | ≲ 2 GeV 2 . This experiment has been performed at the CERN PS, using spark chambers and a large aperture magnet. The results show a break of slope at t = −0.3 GeV 2 . The ω trajectory deduced from the data has an intercept α (0) = 0.5 and a slope α ′ = 0.88. A comparison with various models shows that the non-flip amplitude is dominant.

For the first time, the line reversed reactions π + p→K + Σ + and K − p→ π − Σ + have been studied in the same apparatus. We present the differential cross sections and polarizations over a large t range and at two momenta, 7.0 and 10.1 GeV/ c . The differential cross sections as a function of t are shown for the first time to cross over. Going from the lower to the higher momentum, the differences in cross section between the two reactions diminish at low | t | by about a factor 2. We find large polarizations of opposite sign for the two reactions. The momentum dependence, presented in the form of α eff ( t ) for the t range 0 to −2 (GeV/ c ) 2 , is compared with the expectations from the K ∗ −K ∗∗ trajectory.

Measurement of the exotic exchange reaction π − p → K + Σ − has been performed at 5 and 8 GeV, in the −0.015 to −0.13 and −0.009 to −0.15 (GeV/ c ) 2 range of t repectively. We give the value near t = 0 of the differential cross section at 5 GeV, 21 −21 +76 nb/(GeV/ c ) 2 , and an upper limit (< 37 nb/GeV/ c ) 2 ) at 8 GeV. As a check the measured differential cross section is given at both energies for the reaction π + p → K + Σ + in the same range of t ★★ ★★ Results presented here were included in the thesis of Doctorat d′Etat by M.N. Minard, Orsay, France, 1976. .

We present results on three reactions involving neutral final states which were studied in a magnet spark chamber system. These results are: (a) differential cross section with high statistics for K − p → K 0 n at 5 GeV /c (24 000 events) and at 8 GeV/ c (11 000 events) for t′ <2.0 (GeV/ c ) 2 ; (b) differential cross section and polarization for K − p → Λπ 0 (backward peak) at 5 GeV/ c for u ′ < 1.4 GeV/ c ) 2 ; and (c) differential cross section for K − p → K 0 Δ 0 (1232) at 5 GeV /c for t′ < 1.2 ( GeV /c) 2 . We compare our results with existing data and draw some phenomenological conclusions.