Testing the meson cloud model in inclusive meson production - art. no. 094015

We have applied the meson cloud model (MCM) to calculate inclusive momentum spectra of pions and kaons produced in high energy proton-proton and proto n-nucleus collisions. For the first time these data an used to constrain th e cloud cutoff parameters. We show that it is possible to Obtain a reasonab le description of data, especially the large x(F) (x(F)greater than or equa l to 0.2) part of the spectrum and at the same time describe (partially) th e E866 data on (d) over bar-(u) over bar and (d) over bar/(u) over bar. We also discuss the relative strength of the pi N and pi Delta vertices. We fi nd out that the corresponding cutoff parameters should be both soft and sho uld not differ by more than 200 MeV from each other. An additional source ( other than the meson cloud) of sea antiquark asymmetry seems to be necessar y to completely explain the data. A first extension of the MCM to proton nu cleus collisions is discussed. [S0556-2821(99)08119-9].