Study of capture of slow. pi. sup minus mesons by C, N, and O nuclei in nuclear emulsion with production of three charged particles

A study is carried out of the absorption of slow {pi}{sup {minus}} mesons by light nuclei (C, N, O) in nuclear emulsion with production of three charged particles and of three charged particles and one neutron. It is found that among the latter reactions the most probable are reactions in carbon with production of a neutron and three charged particles. The channel {pi}{sup {minus}12}C{r arrow}{sup 7}Li{sup 3}H{ital pn} is analyzed. On the basis of study of the energy and angular distributions of secondary particles for this channel, qualitative agreement is obtained with estimates made on the assumption that the capture of {pi}{sup {minus}} mesons in carbon by this channel occurs in an {sup 8}Be cluster.