A survey of bubble chamber results on differential cross-sections for high energy π(^+)p quasi two body interactions

The thesis is based on a survey of differential cross-sections of quasi two body interactions occurring in π(^+)p interactions studied in hydrogen bubble chambers. The first two chapters outline the theoretical background for the description of such interactions. The third chapter discusses kinematical and observational effects which can influence the measured shape of the. differential cross- section as a function of the four momentum transfer at small values of the latter, and the last chapter surveys, empirically the collected data with particular reference to the discussion of the previous chapters it is concluded that in general the differential cross-section falls exponentially with increasing magnitude of four momentum transfer, but that in two reaction channels (π (^+)p+Δ (^++)A(_2)(^o) and π(^+)p+Δ(6++)η(^o)there is a significant dip as t approaches zero that cannot be explained by either kinematical effects or experimental bias.