Exclusive Measurements of $pd\to ^3He \pi\pi$ : the $ABC$ Effect Revisited

Abstract

Exclusive measurements of the reactions $pd\to$ $^3He \pi^+ \pi^-$ and $pd\to$ $^3He \pi^0\pi^0$ have been carried out at $T_p=0.895$ GeV at the CELSIUS storage ring using the WASA detector. The $\pi^+\pi^-$ channel evidences a pronounced enhancement at low invariant $\pi\pi$ masses - as anticipated from previous inclusive measurements of the ABC effect. This enhancement is seen to be even much larger in the isoscalar $\pi^0\pi^0$ channel. The differential distributions prove this enhancement to be of scalar-isoscalar nature. $\Delta\Delta$ calculations give a good description of the data, if a boundstate condition is imposed for the intermediate $\Delta\Delta$ system.