Strange particle production by 4 Gev/c pions in deuterium

Abstract

This thesis presents an analysis of strange particle production in w(^+)d interactions at 4 GeV/c incident momentum. The experiment was carried out using the CERN 2-metre deuterium-filled bubble chamber and π(^+) mesons originating from the CERN Proton Synchrotron. The film was analysed by three collaborating laboratories: Birmingham University, the RutherfordHigh Energy Laboratory (RHEL) and Durham University. The channel cross-sections are evaluated from a total sample of about22,000 events, particular attention being given to the resolution of ambiguous final states and to corrections for losses. The results are compared with those of existing data at higher and lower energies. Resonance production cross-sections are estimated for the well populated strange particle channels. The differential cross-sections, hyperon polarisations and spin density matrix elements are determined for the two body and quasi-two body processes, and a complete amplitude analysis is carried out for the reaction π(^+)n → K(^*+) (890)Λº from the correlated decay distributions of the K(^*+) (890) and Λº. The results are interpreted in the framework of the Regge-pole model.