The folded differential cross sections dσdΩ(θ*)+dσdΩ(π−θ*), where θ* is the center-of-mass angle of the negatively charged outgoing particle, have been measured for the reactions p¯p→π−π+ and K−K+ at 15 incident beam momenta between 360 and 760 MeV/c with much better statistics than previous experiments. The total cross sections for these reactions, σπ−π+ and σκ−κ+, have also been obtained by integrating the folded differential cross sections. The folded differential cross sections of both reactions show a similar behavior at all measured beam momenta, characterized by a prominent peak at |cosθ*|=1. The cross section σπ−π+ shows a smooth but rapidly decreasing behavior as the beam momentum increases up to 550 MeV/c, whereas σκ−κ+ shows a smooth and flat momentum dependence. These results are compared with some theoretical calculations based on nonrelativistic quark models. Although the shape of the folded differential cross section of the p¯p→π−π+ reaction is rather well reproduced by these models, that of the p¯p→K−K+ reaction, and, in particular, the prominent peak at |cosθ*|=1 cannot be explained at all. The information from other experiments indicates that this discrepancy is most pronounced at the backward angles. Moreover, the momentum dependence of both σπ−π+ and σκ−κ+ is not satisfactorily reproduced by these models.
Folded differential cross sections.
Folded differential cross sections.
Folded differential cross sections.
We have obtained the branching ratios for p p annihilation at rest into π + π − and K + K − in a pure p p initial angular momentum state L = 1. A gaseous hydrogen target at normal pressure and temperature was used and events associated with transitions of the antiprotonic atom to the 2p level were selected by detecting the Balmer X-ray series. The branching ratios for p p annihilation into π + π − and K + K − from the 2p state are (4.81 ± 0.49) × 10 −3 and (2.87 ± 0.51) × 10 −4 , respect The pion yield is slightly larger than in liquid hydrogen, where L = 0 annihilation dominates, while the kaon yield is suppressed by a factor of four. Using these and previous data, we derive the branching ratios for pp annihilation into all ππ and K K modes from S and P states. A measurement in gaseous hydrogen, without X-ray requirement, yields the branching ratios (4.30 ± 0.14) × 10 −3 and (6.92 ± 0.41) × 10 −4 . With the known branching ratios of (3.33 ± 0.17) × 10 −3 and (1.01 ± 0.05) × 10 −3 in liquid hydrogen, we find that (50.3 ± 6.4)% of all annihilations in gas at NTP occur in the initial angular momentum state L = 1.
Axis error includes +- 0.0/0.0 contribution (?////).
Axis error includes +- 0.0/0.0 contribution (?////).
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