Unstable Particles as Targets in Scattering Experiments

A general method is suggested for analyzing the scattering of particle A by particle B, leading to three or more final particles, in order to obtain the cross section for the interaction of A with a particle which is virtually contained in B. Binding complications are absent if a plausible assumption about the location and residues of poles in the S matrix is accepted. The method is useful for unstable particles from which free targets cannot be made; the special examples of pion and neutron targets are discussed in detail.