Tensor polarization in π-d scattering and pion absorption

Angular distributions of the deuteron tensor polarization, t20, in π-d elastic scattering at pion energies of 180, 220, and 256 MeV and excitation function at theta/sub c.m.//sup π/roughly-equal1440 have been measured. The results suggest that all published calculations fail to include true pion absorption properly in the treatment of the πNN system. No rapid angular or energy dependence was found near pion energies of either 134 or 256 MeV, where other experiments have suggested the existence of dibaryons