A-dependence of η-meson inclusive production at 10.5 GeV/c

The experimental results are presented for ratios of ν-meson inclusive differential cross sections in 10.5 GeV/c π+p, π+D and π+A collisions, RD/p=(dσ/dxF)(π+D→ηX)/ (dσ/dxF)π+p→ηX), RA=(dσ/dxF)(π+D→ηX) in the beam fragmentation region. The results are based on the statistics of ≈ 5 × 104 detected η → 2γ decays. It is shown that the power α in the parametrisation RA ≈ Aα(xf) does not change significantly with xF and its mean value is 0.50±0.02. The lower limit is obtained for the effective coefficient with string tension in the colour string model, κ ⩾ 3 GeV/fm. The observed growth of RA with xF can be explained by an assumption of a neutron halo with the factor H ≈ 4 in the nuclei.