Forward scattering amplitudes for π+- on Al, Ca, Cu, Sn, Ho, and Pb in the energy range 114-215 MeV

Measurements have been made of the attenuation cross section, sigma(Ω), for both π+ and π- projectiles on Al, 40Ca, Cu, Sn, Ho, and Pb nuclei. The measurements were made over a range of energies including 114, 140, 165, and 215 MeV. A new method of analyzing transmission experiments data has been used to extract both the real and the imaginary parts of a forward scattering amplitude f/sub N/(0), where f/sub N/(0) is defined to be the limit as Ω → 0 of F(Ω)-f/sub c/(Ω). F(Ω) is the full elastic scattering amplitude and f/sub c/(Ω) is the relativistic point Coulomb amplitude. The values of f/sub N/(0) are compared with forward amplitudes from model calculation. These comparisons demonstrate that much of the observed rotation of the forward scattering amplitude, when plotted in the Argand plane, can be attributed to the Coulomb phase contained in the definition of f/sub N/(0). Results are also compared to those of other experiments. A difference is observed in attenuation measurements between this experiment and a Brookhaven experiment which measured total cross sections on Pb, Sn, and Al. There have been only a few published results in which experimental values of f/sub N/(0) are given. In those cases, general agreement is obsserved with the results of this experiment