Strong Coulomb effects on pions produced in heavy ion collisons

Doubly differential cross sections for the production of π⁺ and π^- near the velocity of the incident beam for pion laboratory angles from 0 to 20 degrees are presented. Beams of ²⁰Ne with E/A=280, 380, and 480 MeV and ⁴⁰Ar with E/A=535 MeV incident on C, NaF, KCl, Cu, and U targets were used. A sharp peak in the π^- spectrum and a depression in the π⁺ spectrum is observed at 0^∘{} near the incident projectile velocity. The effect is explained in terms of Coulomb interactions between pions and fragments of the incident beam. Least squares fits to the data using the Coulomb correction formulas of Gyulassy and Kauffmann and an effective projectile fragment charge are made. The relationship between these data and previously measured projectile fragmentation data is discussed and a simple parametrization of projectile mass, target mass, and beam energy dependence of the differential cross sections is given.NUCLEAR REACTIONS C, NaF, Cu, U (²⁰Ne,π^±)X, E/A=280-480 MeV; C, KCl (⁴⁰Ar,π^±)X, E/A=535 MeV; measured σ(E_π,θ_π), θ_π=0^∘-20^∘, π velocity near beam velocity; deduced projectile fragment charges, Coulomb effects.