Pion Exchange in Inclusive Relations

Abstract

Pion-exchange contributions to inclusive reactions at very high energy are calculated and shown to possess scaling behavior. The nearby pion pole is expected to produce clearly identifiable structure, and perhaps even to dominate the cross section in the region $0.9<x<\mathrm{}1\mathrm{}$, ${p_{\perp }}^2<0.1\mathrm{}$ Ge${\mathrm{V}}^2$. Specific predictions are made for $a+p\to \Delta +\mathrm{anything}$, where $a=p, \pi , or K$, and for $\pi +p\to \rho +\mathrm{anything}$. Measurements of these reactions above 30 GeV could be used to test the Mueller-Regge hypothesis, and if it is valid, to measure the slope of the pion trajectory. A specific proposal in which the Regge hypothesis fails is also discussed. Extrapolation to the pole could be used to measure $\pi \pi$ and $\pi K$ total cross sections.