Nucleon-Nucleon Interactions at Energies Greater than1012ev

Abstract

A primary jet of type $2+16p$ and a high-energy secondary jet of the same type as that of the primary, i.e., $2+16p$, were observed in nuclear emulsion. A very high energy electromagnetic cascade was also observed in the primary interaction. Both the primary and the secondary interactions were considered as nucleon-nucleon for their analysis. The energy as calculated from the angular distribution of the shower particles of the primary and of the secondary events is 3.1×${10}^{12}$ and 2.5×${10}^{12}$ ev, respectively. The estimate of the energy of the primary event is also obtained from its total energy dissipated. The validity of the energies of the primary as well as of the secondary events as obtained from their angular distribution is discussed. The average transverse momentum of the shower particles is ∼0.30 Bev/c. The energy and the angles of shower particles of both these events are transferred to the c.m. system which shows sharp collimation of particles of high energy at small angles with the shower axis. The energy distribution in the c.m. system for both these events is peaked towards low values but shows a remarkably long tail at high energies extending up to 12 Bev. Analysis of both these events is consistent with the "two-fireball" model.