A study of double pomeron exchange in Pi+ p and K+p interactions at 250 GeV/c

Quasi-elastic scattering with central dipion cluster production is studied in π+p andK+p interactions at 250 GeV/c. The cross section of double pomeron exchange is obtained as σDPE(π+p →π+(π+π−)p)=24 ±5 µb and σDPE(K+p→K+(π+π−)p)=19 ±5 µb. The low energy pomeron-pomeron cross section is estimated for the first time.