K+p Elastic Scattering at 3.0 GeV/c

In the course of a systematic study of K+p interactions at 3.0 GeV/c, the elastic-scattering reaction has been investigated. A total of 1720 events were identified as elastic scatters, giving a cross-section of (4.8±0.4) mb. The angular distribution shows characteristic diffraction peaking and was fitted using dσ/d|t|=(dσ/d|t|)0 exp [αt+βt2], in the momentum-transfer region (0.05÷1.14) (GeV/c)2. The best fit gaveα=(4.55±0.39) (GeV/c)−2 andβ=(0.64±0.42)(GeV/c)−4. The extrapolated experimental cross-section at 0°, (dσ/dt)0, is found to be (19.5±2.3) mb/(GeV/c)2, and exceeds the optical-theorem prediction by (3.8±2.3) mb/(GeV/c)2, implying that there is a contribution from the real part of the K+p scattering amplitude at 3.0 GeV/c.