Measurement of the cross sections for inclusive π− + p → π− + X+ reactions at momenta 42 and 51 GeV/c in the beam fragmentation region

Abstract Inclusive cross sections for π − + p → π − + X + reaction have been measured for the interval x = p / p max = 0.90–0.99 at the momenta 42 and 51 GeV/ c and the values of the momentum transfer squared p ⊥ 2 = 0.04 + 0.26 ( GeV / c ) 2 . With the increase of x one can observe some growth of invariant differential cross section at p 2 fixed in the indicated interval. In the Regge pole model such a behaviour may be explained by a predominating contribution of the vacuum pole. Under this assumption we have found that energy dependence of the total cross section for Pomeron interaction with protons at several values of p ⊥ 2 .