The inclusive differential cross sections for the production of $$\pi^{\pm}$$ and $$k^{-}$$ mesons, protons, and antiprotons with momenta between 6 and 50 GeV/c and nuclear fragments of mass number $$1\leq A\leq 10$$ in the momentum range between 20 and 220 GeV/c were measured in carbon–lead collisions at a beam kinetic energy of 19.6 GeV per nucleon ( $$\sqrt{S_{NN}}=6.3$$ GeV). A comparison with the respective cross sections for carbon–carbon interactions is performed, and the dependence on the target mass number ( $$A$$ ) is estimated. The present analysis shows that the observed particles originate predominantly from peripheral interactions.

Analytical solutions for amplitude and time measurements from digitized signals of the pseudo-Gaussian shape are considered. The least squares method (l.s.m.) is chosen as the algorithm to determine amplitude A and timestamp t0. For a profile with an uncorrelated sampling the l.s.m. is reduced to analytical formulas consistent with the experiment. This permits to estimate the desired number of points Ns on a profile. The obtained results for Ns are illustrated with qualitative estimates in accordance with the Nyquist–Shannon–Kotelnikov sampling theorem. The optimality of the electronic filters forming the waveform is analyzed in terms of the excess noise factor. An analytical solution is found for the autocorrelation function from stochastic noise sources. It permits to define non-diagonal weight matrix elements in the l.s.m. with formulation of requirements for neglecting sampling correlations.

The inclusive differential cross sections for forward production of nuclear fragments at an angle of 0∘ in CC collisions at beam energy 20.5 GeV/nucleon (SNN=6.3GeV) are presented. Measurements have been performed at the U-70 Accelerator Complex (Protvino) using a combined spectrometer on base of the beamline. Fragments selection was carried out by measuring of ionization in scintillation counters taking into account the data from threshold Cherenkov counters and hadron calorimeter. Fragment mass was determined through Cherenkov light emission angle measured in the spectrometer of ring imaging Cherenkov radiation. Data are given for fragments with charge 1≤Z≤6, atomic number 1≤A≤10 and A/Z<3.4 with momenta from 20 to 210 GeV/c. The measurements are compared with Fritiof model, statistical models and theoretical parameterizations. The discovered differences between theory and experiment are discussed.

The invariant cross sections for forward charged-hadron production at zero angle in carbon–carbon collisions at a beam kinetic energy of 19.6 GeV per nucleon were measured at the U-70 accelerator in an experiment performed with the aid of a combined spectrometer including beam line 22 and detectors of the modified FODS setup. The beam line rigidity was varied between 7 and 70 GeV/$$c$$. The results are compared with the predictions of the FTFP model and a self-similar solution for nucleus–nucleus collisions.

The issues of determining the momentum of charged particles at the focusing double-arm spectrometer (FODS) are discussed. The coordinate detectors are located at the exit from the analyzing magnet, while a profilometer of the center of gravity of the beam at the target during an accelerator cycle is at its entrance. ANSIS finite-element analysis software is used to obtain a regular grid of magnetic field vector values measured by the Hall sensor in a part of the magnet. The charged-particle momentum is determined based on the algorithm of decision tables with a polynomial approximation. Tables are produced by the Monte Carlo method by reconstructing the motion of a particle with a prescribed momentum in the magnetic field. The accuracies in determining the particle momentum and the particle production angles while accounting for the contributions from multiple scattering, measurement errors, and approximation uncertainties are presented. The distribution of the reconstructed trajectories in the target and the momentum spectrum of particles are shown.

A procedure for finding the trajectories of charged particles on the FODS (focusing double-arm spectrometer) is described, which includes channel calibration (r(t)-dependence) of drift detectors for calculating the coordinates of particles and reconstruction of tracks. The organization of time measurements and construction of a least-squares functional on their basis is considered. The criteria for selecting candidates for the tracks are discussed. A procedure has been developed for obtaining geodesic corrections for drift chambers and tubes at the analysis of physical events. Accuracies of measuring the coordinates in drift chambers of 600 μm and chambers on drift tubes of 500 μm were obtained. The distribution of particle trajectories in the target is given.

The zero angle production of light nuclei has been studied in CC-interactions at beam energy 20.5 GeV/n on accelerator U-70. The measurements were performed with employing of the beamline no. 22 as spectrometer of secondary particles with verying its rigidity from 10 to 70 GeV/c. We observed secondary protons and deuterons with momenta above kinematic limit of NN-interactions. The measured dependence of forward yields on momentum are compared with the model predictions in the framework of Geant4. The models more or less correctly give positions of maxima of the distributions and their general qualitative dependence on the momentum. But in the quantitative predictions of the yields there are significant differences with the experiment which grow with increase of atomic mass number A.

Relative yields of high-x F charged hadrons (π ±, К±, р, \(\overline p \), and d) in proton–nucleus interactions at incident-proton momenta of 25 and 50 GeV/c were measured at an angle of 0° in the momentum range between 15 and 40 GeV/c. An upper limit on the forward production of two protons in proton–nucleus interactions at 50 GeV/c was estimated. The properties of a carbon beam with an energy of 25 GeV per nucleon and fragment yields in its interaction with nuclear targets were measured within a short exposure.

Cross sections for the production of high-transverse-momentum charged hadrons in proton–nucleus interactions at the incident-proton energy of 50 GeV were measured with the aid of the FODS double-arm spectrometer. Single hadrons (charged pions and protons) emitted at a c.m. angle of about 90° and high-effective-mass pairs of hadrons flying apart at a c.m. angle of 180° were detected simultaneously. Results on the production of single hadrons are presented.

Based on fast gas electron multipliers, a beam monitor and recording electronics for reading information and transmitting it to the local network was manufactured. The speed of operation of the system is determined by the characteristics of driver amplifiers and equal to ~108 (particle/s)/cm2. The operation of the system was tested from a radioactive source.

A gas-filled secondary emission detector with a gap of ~100 μm wide and a field strength of ~50 kV/cm is considered as a possible active element of the hadron calorimeter. The detector must be fast, radiation-hard, and easy to manufacture. A detector model has been produced and tested. Its characteristics are presented.

For a hadron calorimeter active element there is considered a gaseous secondary emis-sion detector (150 micron gap, 50 kV/cm). Such one-stage parallel plate chamber must be a radiation hard, fast and simple. A model of such detector has been produced, tested and some characteristics are presented.

The measurement results of the radiation resistance of materials of a thick-layer gas electron multiplier (TGEM), which is considered as a candidate for active elements of calorimeters operating under high radiation loadings, are presented. The radiation resistance of the active element of an organic-scintillator-based hadronic calorimeter and light collection by a reemitting fiber, is measured for comparison. The obtained data, i.e., invariability of the signal from the TGEM up to 5 Mrad with an almost triple reduction of the signal from the scintillator, can be considered as a qualitative indicator of possible use of the TGEM as a detector operating at high radiation loads.