Unit 3: Hadron – Hadron Interactions

Total and Elastic Cross-section

Total and Elastic proton-proton (pp) cross-section at High Energy has a

trend like

Total X-sec

Elastic X-sec

[Photo from Perkins, 3rd Ed.]

From the figure, the elastic cross-section accounts for only a small
fraction of the total cross-section at high energy (lower curve). The Total
Cross-sections are constant within 10% above 5 GeV, with a slow
decrease followed by an increase at the upper energy values as seen in
the following figure:

How to produce anti-protons?

[Perkins 3rd Ed]

1
The magnitude of the cross-section varies with the type of particle, but is
in the region of 20 to 40 mb. [Check 1 barn=?]
If one equates this value to a geometrical cross-section (πR2) one gets R
≈ 10-13 cm = 1 fm è the range of the Strong Interaction [Check].
Secondly, in the lower energy range:
- Large difference in the 𝑝p and pp cross-sections is seen and this is
not unexpected! As a large number of isospin channels open up
for nucleon-antinucleon process [Check] well as the higher
energies available following the annihilation of p and 𝑝 .

The simplest possible model of absorption and scattering is that of a

Totally Absorbing Black Disc of radius R for estimating the Total Elastic
Scattering Cross-section.
[DIY] ( Wave-Optical Treatment of Hadron Scattering )

! No derivation Needed!
𝜂! 𝑒 !!!! − 1
𝜎!" = 4𝜋𝜆!" ! (2𝑙 + 1)
2𝑖
!

ℏ
where λcr (lambda-cross: λ) is deBroglie wavelength of the colliding
!
particles in their COM system.
In the above relation, when η = 1, the case is for no absorption of the
incoming wave

𝜎 = 𝜎!" = 4𝜋𝜆!" ! (2𝑙 + 1)𝑠𝑖𝑛! 𝛿!

!
Obviously, σel is zero when δl = 0, corresponding to zero scattering
potential.
If η < 1:
The reaction cross-section, σr is obtained:

𝜎! = 𝜋𝜆!" ! (2𝑙 + 1)(1 − 𝜂! ! )

!
and setting ηl = 0 one obtains

𝜎!" = 𝜋𝜆!" ! ! (2𝑙 + 1) = πR2

𝜎!"#$ = 𝜋𝜆!" ! !(2𝑙 + 1) = πR2 and

𝜎!"#$% = 2𝜋𝜆!" ! !(2𝑙 + 1) = 2πR2

2
NOTE: The scattering center or potential cannot affect the incoming
waves, but can alter both phase and amplitude of the outgoing wave.
The change of phase of lth partial wave is δl and amplitude is ηl .

Here, in the model, the angular momentum contributed by the incident

wave, l , varies from 0 to l max = R/ λcr.
This we can see from the above relation that
!! !
2𝑙 + 1 = ! ,
!!!"

For example, R = 1 fm and 20 GeV/c incident momentum, λ or λcr = 0.01

fm and l max = 100. [Verify: use ℏ = 6.6𝑋10!!" 𝑒𝑉𝑠 ]

Then,

!!
!
2𝑙 + 1 = (𝑙!"# + 1)! ≃ 𝑙!"# = ! .
!!"
As expected the inelastic or reaction or absorption cross-section is
simply the geometrical area of the disc, πR2.
In the next lecture we talk about the particle production at High
Energies.