Method for Measuring the Photon-Photon Total Cross Section

Abstract

In the interaction of a high-energy particle with a proton or nucleus, the recoil spectrum of the target at very low momentum transfer is related simply to the total cross section of the incident particle with the photon. Estimates of the size of the effect plus recent developments in low-recoil techniques suggest that measurement of the photon-photon as well as the $\ensuremath{\pi}$- and $K$-photon cross sections may be possible.