Double scattering processes in π−D interactions at 21 GeV/c

The effect of double scattering is extracted from experimental data on π−D interactions at 12 GeV/c. Multiplicity, rapidity y, xF and p distributions for double scattering process are presented. It is found that double scattering occurs in 16% of π−D interactions at this energy: its relative importance increases with the charged multiplicity N, and the largest absolute contribution is at N = 4 and 6. The multiplicity distribution for double scattering has mean value N− = 1.76 ± 0.03 and dispersion D− = 0.88 ± 0.04. The distributionsin rapidity, xF and p are similar to those of single scattering processes, but the relative importance of double scattering increases at large p and low xF or y. The distributions are similar at all multiplicities, and for π+ and π−.