INTERACTIONS OF FAST $mu$ MESONS IN LEAD WITH SMALL-ENERGY TRANSFER

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1960 · Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.118.1353· OSTI ID:4162439

de Pagter, J; Sard, R D

With the Pb target material divided into 1.27-cm shabs between hodoscoped Geiger tubes and surmounted by a magnet cloud chamber, a study was made of the interactions of fast mu mesons in which at least one evaporation neutron is produced and no additional charged particles emerge from the slab. The cross section-average neutron multiplicity, sigma m. is (15.2 plus or minus 2.1) x 10/sup -29/ cm per nucleon. From hodoscope observe-ations without neutron coincidence it is found that for an electron-initiated shower to stay concealed in a 1.27-cm Pb plate its energy must be less than about 100 Mev. With the help of "approximation B" track length theory and experimental photonuclear neutron yields, it was calculated that hidden knock-on showers contribute (5.8 plus or minus 1.2) x 10/sup -29/ to the total yield sigma m (cross section times average multiplicity). leaving (9.4 plus or minus 2.4) x 10/sup -29/ cm/sup 2/ per nucleon as the result for the direct mu -meson nuclear interaction. This analysis is supported by the agreement between the number of visible showers observed and calculated. The neutron yield in the direct interaction is found to increase with mu -meson momentum. The Weizsacker-Williams approximnation is used to calculate the effect expected from the interaction between the electric charge of the mu meson and the nucleons. Within the rather large uncertainties involved in the use of this approximation, there is excellent agreement with the experimental results. (auth)

• Research Organization: Washington Univ., St. Louis
• NSA Number: NSA-14-017302
• OSTI ID: 4162439
• Journal Information: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D, Journal Name: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D Vol. Vol: 118; ISSN PHRVA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CLOUD CHAMBERS
COINCIDENCE METHODS
COSMIC RADIATION
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRONS
ENERGY
GEIGER-MUELLER COUNTERS
HODOSCOPE
INTERACTIONS
LEAD
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MUONS
NEUTRONS
PARTICLE TRACKS
PHOTONEUTRONS
PHYSICS
PLATES
RADIATION DETECTORS
SCATTERING
SHOWERS
TARGETS