EXCITATION-FUNCTIONS OF PROTON-PROTON ELASTIC-SCATTERING AT INTERMEDIATE ENERGIES

Excitation functions of proton-proton elastic cross sections have been measured in narrow momentum steps Delta p = 28 MeV/c in the kinetic e nergy range from 0.5 to 2.5 GeV and the angular range 35 degrees less than or equal to Theta(cm) less than or equal to 90 degrees with a det ector providing Delta Theta(cm) approximate to 1.4 degrees resolution and 82% solid angle coverage. Measurements have been performed continu ously during projectile acceleration in the Cooler Synchrotron COSY wi th an internal CH2 fiber target; background corrections were derived f rom measurements with a carbon fiber target and from Monte Carlo simul ations of inelastic pp contributions, Particular care was taken to mon itor the luminosity as a function of beam energy. The results provide excitation functions and angular distributions of unprecedented precis ion and internal consistency. The measured cross sections are compared to recent phase shift analyses, and their impact on the present solut ion SM97 [1] is discussed.