Low-p/sub t/ physics

This group examined the processes with large cross sections, namely total cross sections, elastic scattering, particle production at low p/sub t/ and diffraction excitation. These are fundamental processes whose experimental study has always been one of the main aims of the physics program of each new accelerator in a new energy domain. The main features of these large cross section processes may be studied experimentally using relatively simple set ups at an early stage of phase I Isabelle operation. Luminosities of approx. = 1030 cm-2sec-1 are quite adequate to perform precision experiments. Higher luminosities will be needed to study elastic scattering at larger angles, particles production at medium values of p/sub t/ and the production of new flavour. The large cross section processes are characterized by features which change slowly, logarithmically with c.m. energy (ln s physics). The new large range of energies which will become available at Isabelle will allow the possibility of performing a detailed study of the energy dependences of the processes under consideration. It will also be possible to perform detailed comparisons with similar experiments in anti pp collisions