Triple Pomeron coupling and pion inclusive scattering

Abstract

A characteristic rise in the cross section near x = 1 has been reported for the single particle inclusive reaction π−p → π−X at Fermilab energies. Factorizable Regge amplitudes are used with a well-established analysis of the pp → pX peak to construct a parametrization of the triple-Regge couplings with αP(0) > 1 and to give a triple-Regge description of the meson + proton → meson + X cross section. Good agreement with the π−p → π−X data at 147 GeV/c is obtained and the peak is dominated by the triple-Pomeron component. This approach provides a reliable method for obtaining an estimate of the non-diffractive component. The inelastic diffractive cross section rises with energy and is found to account for most of the observed rise in σtot(π±p). The procedure is extended to K±p → K±X.