Probing the deuteron structure at small NN distances by antiproton-deuteron annihilation

The annihilation (p) over bar d --> 2 pi(-)pi(+)p at rest with the proton m omentum in the final state greater than or equal to 400MeV/c is analysed. A ssuming that the deuteron wave function can be represented by the Pock's co lumn consisting of different possible states (NN, NN*, Delta Delta, NN pi,. ..) some enhancement in the distribution over the invariant mass of the pi( -)pi(-) system in the mass region 1.4-1.5(GeV/c(2)) is predicted. This can be caused by the possible existence of a Delta - Delta component in deutero n. Using this prediction and new experimental data of the OBELIX collaborat ion (LEAR, CERN) one can estimate the upper limit for this exotic state of the deuteron. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.