Study of the Interaction of PositiveKMesons

Abstract

Continuing our program on the study of positive $K$ mesons, we have investigated the interactions of $K$ mesons with hydrogen and complex nuclei in photographic emulsions primarily in the energy interval 100 to 220 Mev. We are reporting on interactions found in 320 meters of $K^{+}$ track length followed, of which 227 meters were in the energy interval 100 to 220 Mev. The exposure was made to an enriched $K$-meson beam at the Berkeley Bevatron. The ratio of $K$ mesons to minimum ionizing background particles ranged from 1:1 to 1:3 across our stack. Thirteen new $K$-hydrogen scattering events were found and added to those previously published. We find the $K$-H cross section to be energy-independent in the energy interval from 20 to 200 Mev. The average cross section over this energy interval is 14.5±2.2 mb. The differential cross section appears to be due predominantly to $S$-wave scattering.