Production of Negative Pions with 183-MeV/Nucleon Ne Beams

Abstract

Cross sections for negative pion production in 183-MeV/nucleon Ne + NaF and Ne + Pb collisions have been measured at laboratory angles from 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. Almost isotropic angular distributions in the nucleon-nucleon c.m. frame are observed. The energy spectra in this frame are of an exponential type with an inverse slope of 25 MeV for NaF and 26 MeV for Pb. No evidence of a bump predicted to result from pionic instability is observed. Possible mechanisms for producing high-energy pions are discussed.