An impact parameter analysis of multiparticle production in medium-energy meson-proton interactions

Abstract Lower bounds can be calculated for the root-mean-square impact parameter b , in any exclusive reaction. These lower bounds, b L , have been calculated for 9 exclusive π − p reactions at 16 GeV/ c and for 24 exclusive K − p reactions at 10 and 16 GeV/ c . It is found that b L decreases with increasing multiplicity, but is larger at higher energy. The values of b L are larger for diffractive than for non-diffractive channels of the same multiplicity.