Cross Sections for the Dissociation of J/psi and psi' by pi and rho at low energies

Abstract

Using the quark-interchange model of Barnes and Swanson, we evaluate the dissociation cross sections for $J/ψ$ and $ψ'$ by $π$ and $ρ$ at low collision energies. In collisions with $π$ mesons near threshold the $π+ J/ψ$ dissociation cross section is predicted to be small, but the $π+ψ'$ cross section is found to be quite large, in qualitative agreement with experimental data on $J/ψ$ and $ψ'$ production in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. The $ρ+ J/ψ$ and $ρ+ ψ'$ dissociation cross sections are both predicted to be large numerically and are divergent near threshold. These $ρ+ J/ψ$ and $ρ+ ψ'$ cross sections show considerable sensitivity to the mass of the $ρ$ meson if it is off energy shell.