Polarization Properties of Low Energy Amplitude for $\pi N \to \pi \pi N$ Reaction

Abstract

The theoretical study of cross sections for polarized--target measurements of $ \pi N \to \pi \pi N $ reactions gives evidence that the interplay between the strong contribution from OPE mechanism and the one from isobar exchanges, which is equally strong within isobar half--widths energy region, must result in nontrivial polarization phenomena. The Monte--Carlo simulations for asymmetries in $ \pi^{-} p^{\uparrow} \to \pi^{-} \pi^{+} n $ reaction at $ P_{Lab} = 360 $~MeV/c with the use of theoretical amplitudes found as solutions for unpolarized data at $ P_{Lab} < 500 $~MeV/c provide confirmations for significant effect. The effect is capable to discriminate between the OPE and isobar exchanges and it is sensitive to the OPE parameters in question. This leads to the conclusion that the decisive $\pi N \to \pi \pi N$ analysis, aiming at determination of $ \pi \pi $--scattering lengths, must combine both unpolarized data and polarization information. The appropriate measurements are shown to be feasible at the already existing CHAOS spectrometer.