We present a measurement of the total cross section σ t in proton-proton collisions at the CERN ISR. The method involves determination of the total interaction rate and machine luminosity. A two-arm scintillation hodoscope observes ∼ 90% of the total interaction rate, while a streamer chamber is employed for event topologies missed by the main trigger. An increase of about 10% in σ t is observed in the energy range √ s = 23.6 to √ s = 62.8 GeV/ c in agreement with previous experiments.
VAN DER MEER METHOD.
Measurements of the total cross section have been performed at the ISR with c.m. energies between 23.5 GeV and 62.5 GeV. Two independent experimental methods have been applied, a measurement of total interaction rate and of small angle elastic scattering. Both experiments give consistent results showing that the total cross section increases by (11.8±1.5) % over the ISR energy range. This experiment has also measured the slope of the forward diffraction peak in elastic scattering at small momentum transfer. The elastic cross section shows the same relative rise as the total cross section, and the ratio λ of elastic to total cross section approaches a constant value of λ =0.178±0.003.
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TOTAL CROSS SECTION FROM (INTERACTION RATE)/(LUMINOSITY). SYSTEMATIC ERROR <0.8 PCT.
TOTAL CROSS SECTION FROM APPLYING THE OPTICAL THEOREM TO SMALL ANGLE ELASTIC SCATTERING EXTRAPOLATED TO T=0.
The measurement of the proton-proton total cross section performed by the CERN-Pisa-Rome-Stony Brook Collaboration at the CERN ISR is discussed in detail. The total interaction rate, the elastic scattering rate in the forward direction, and the machine luminosity were measured simultaneously to obtain three different determinations of the total cross section. Consistent results were found, which made it possible to prove the reliability of the Van der Meer luminosity calibration within +-0.9% and to achieve a precision of +-0.6% in the measurement of the total cross section.
No description provided.
Measurements of the proton-proton total cross section have been made with increased precision (±0.6%) over the ISR energy range s =23.5−62.7 GeV . Two different experimental methods gave consistent results, showing that the total cross section increases 10% over the ISR range and in addition that the absolute value of the ISR luminosity can be measured to ±0.9%.
CROSS SECTIONS ARE A WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF THOSE OBTAINED BY THE PISA-STONY BROOK METHOD AND BY THE CERN-ROME (OPTICAL THEOREM) METHOD.
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