Inclusive Pion Production in Collisions of Relativistic Protons, Deuterons, Alphas, and Carbon Ions with Nuclei

We have measured single-particle inclusive spectra of π⁺ and π^- mesons produced at 2.5^∘{} (lab) in the collision of 1.05-4.2-GeV protons, 1.05- and 2.10-GeV/nucleon deuterons and α particles, and 2.10-GeV/nucleon ¹²C nuclei with various targets at an angle of 2.5^∘{} (lab). The negative-pion spectra show scaling behavior. The results are compared to a simple model in which individual nucleons in the projectile interact with the target to produce pions.