Study of π– Meson Production in p + p, n + p, p + C, and π– + C Interactions Using the Target Mass Method

The paper is devoted to the analysis of π– meson production in $$p + p$$ , $$n + p$$ , $$p + C$$ , and $${{\pi }^{ - }} + C$$ reactions at different projectile energies. The description of these processes is important in understanding of the structure of nuclear matter. A method based on a relativistically invariant variable introduced by us is applied. This method allows one to observe a regularity in π– meson production for a wide set of reactions at different energies in terms of the relativistically invariant target mass variable. This gives grounds to assume that this representation has a predictive power and can be used in analysis of existing experimental data and planning experiments at the NICA accelerator complex.