M.P. Bussa

Antiproton–neon annihilation at 57 MeV/c

Abstract The p Ne annihilation cross section is measured for the first time in the momentum interval (53÷63) MeV/c. About 9000 pictures collected by the Streamer Chamber Collaboration (PS179) at LEAR-CERN have been scanned. Four events are found, corresponding to σ ann =2210±1105 mb. The result is compared to the set of measurements presently available in the region of low p momentum.

φ and ω meson production in n¯p annihilation and the OZI rule

Abstract The φπ + /ωπ + ratio from n ¯ p annihilations on a liquid hydrogen target, for n ¯ momenta between 64 and 297 MeV/ c , was measured using the OBELIX spectrometer at LEAR. The ratio R ( ϕ π / ω π ) = σ ( n ¯ p → ϕ π + ) / σ ( n ¯ p → ω π + ) turned out 0.110±0.015 stat ±0.006 syst . Implications of this result on the OZI rule are discussed.

p̄D and p̄ 4He annihilation cross sections at very low energy

Abstract The p D and p 4 He total annihilation cross sections have been measured with the Obelix apparatus at LEAR at, respectively, three and two values of the p incident momentum between 70 MeV/c and 36 MeV/c. The values of the p D annihilation cross section, at such low energies, are in agreement with a surprising result obtained in a recent low statistics measurement of the antiprotonic deuterium K α X-rays [M. Augsburger et al., Phys. Lett. B 461 (1999) 417] (see following article), concerning the unexpected narrow width of the antiprotonic deuterium 1s level.

Antiproton-helium annihilation around 45 MeV/c

Abstract The p ¯ 4 He annihilation cross section averaged over the interval 40–50 MeV/c has been measured using a streamer chamber in a magnetic field. The measured value is 1342±250 mb. It agrees with a behaviour like 1/p of the annihilation cross section. Our result has been obtained at the lowest momentum achieved till now in measurements of antiproton annihilation in flight.

Spin-parity analysis of the final state π+π−π0 from pp annihilation at rest in hydrogen targets at three densities

Abstract The partial wave analysis of the reaction p p → π + π − π 0 at rest has been performed for the first time by using high-statistics data sets collected in hydrogen targets at three different densities. The different mixtures of partial waves corresponding to our samples allow a reliable determination of each contribution. This technique is crucial in the identification of the exotic candidate f2(1565) which can be produced by 1S0, 3P1 and 3P2 initial states. The amplitude analysis was performed in the frame of the K-Matrix and P-Vector approach. It requires presence of the exotic candidates f0(1500) and f2(1565) with the following masses and total widths: (1449 ± 20)MeV, (114 ± 30)MeV and (1507 ± 15)MeV, (130 ± 20)MeV respectively. In addition to f0(980), f0(1300) f2(1270) and ϱ(770), a clear evidence of I = 1, JP = 1− signal, which we identify with ϱ(1450), is obtained.

A phenomenological analysis of antiproton interactions at low energies

Abstract We present an optical potential analysis of p p interactions at low energies. The optical potential is purely phenomenological, and has been parametrized using data recently obtained by the Obelix Collaboration at momenta below 180 MeV/c. It reasonably fits annihilation and elastic data below 600 MeV/c, and allows an evaluation of the elastic cross section and ρ-parameter down to zero kinetic energy. The used values of the parameters agree with the values suggested by other authors from an analysis of elastic scattering. Moreover we show that the mechanism that suppresses p –nucleus annihilation cross sections at low energies is present in p p interactions too.

Study of the f(0)(1500)/f(2)(1565) production in the exclusive annihilation (n)over-bar-p ->pi(+)pi(+)pi(-) in flight

The spin-parity analysis of the (n) over bar p --> pi(+)pi(+)pi(-) exclusive reaction in flight is presented. The main aim is to study the (pi(+)pi(-)) invariant mass spectrum in the region around 1500 MeV. The analysis was performed with a Breit-Wigner parametrization for all the resonant states and, for the scalar sector in the mass region below 1.2 GeV, by means of a K-matrix-like treatment. It clearly shows the need for two states, a scalar one (0(++)) with mass and width (1522+/-25) MeV and (108+/-33) MeV, and a tensorial one (2(++)) with mass (1575 +/-18) MeV and width (119+/-24) MeV, respectively. In addition, the analysis requires the presence of a scalar state at (1280+/-55) MeV, (323+/-13) MeV broad, and of a second vectorial one, in addition to the rho(0)(770) signal, with mass and width (1348+/-33) MeV and (275+/-10) MeV, respectively.

Protonium annihilation into KSKL at three different target densities

Abstract The frequency of the protonium annihilation channel p p → K S K L has been measured at three different target densities: liquid hydrogen (LH), gaseous hydrogen at NTP conditions and gaseous hydrogen at low pressure (5 mbar). The obtained results are: f( p p → K S K L , LH) = (7.8 ± 0.7 stat ± 0.3 sys ) × 10 −4 , f( p p → K S K L , NTP) = (3.5 ± 0.5 stat ± 0.2 sys ) × 10 −4 and f( p p → K S K L , 5 mbar ) = (1.0 ± 0.3 stat ± 0.1 sys ) × 10 −4 . Since the KSKL final stat and be originated only from the 3S1 initial state, these values give direct information on the scaling of the protonium spin-triplet S-wave annihilation probability with the density.

Phi and omega meson production in anti-n p annihilation and the OZI rule

Abstract The φπ + /ωπ + ratio from n ¯ p annihilations on a liquid hydrogen target, for n ¯ momenta between 64 and 297 MeV/ c , was measured using the OBELIX spectrometer at LEAR. The ratio R ( ϕ π / ω π ) = σ ( n ¯ p → ϕ π + ) / σ ( n ¯ p → ω π + ) turned out 0.110±0.015 stat ±0.006 syst . Implications of this result on the OZI rule are discussed.

Study of (n)over-bar-p annihilation in two mesons in the momentum range between 50 to 400 MeV/c with OBELIX

Abstract We measured the in flight annihilation frequencies and cross sections of reactions n p → π + π 0 ,π + η and K+KS in the antineutron momentum range between 50 and 400 MeV/c. The annihilation frequencies of these channels from the different allowed initial states were calculated and some information about the n p annihilation dynamics were obtained. The first determination of the D-wave contribution in this momentum range was also obtained.