Elastic K-p scattering at 32.1 GeV/c and its analysis in the impact-parameter representation

Experimental results on elastic K-p scattering at 32.1 GeV/c over the momentum-transfer range 0.045<Vertical BartVertical Bar<1.75 GeV2 with a statistical base of 6.7 events/μb are reported. The differential cross section dsigma/sub e/l/dt was parametrized by the functions Aexp(αt) Aexp(αt+Bt2), and Aexp(αt)+Bexp(ct). The data are analyzed in the impact-parameter representation. The overlap functions and the rms interaction radii are found for elastic and inelastic scattering. The results confirm that the inelastic reactions have a higher peripherality than elastic reactions. For a precisely head-on collision the ratio of the total cross sections for pp and K-p collisions differs little from 3/2, in agreement with the conclusions reached on the basis of simple additive quark models; with increasing peripherality, however, the agreement is lost. The decrease in the cross section for K-p scattering which is observed up to s< or approx. =60 GeV2 results primarily from a decrease in the overlap functions at small impact parameters, i.e., from a decrease in the opacity in central collisions. The experimental results contradict the hypotheses of eikonal factorization and geometric scaling at s< or approx. =60 GeV2. The distribution of hadronic mattter in the proton and in the K- meson is estimated on the basis of models