Role of pion absorption on quasi-deuterons in /sup 12/C(. pi. /sup +/,2p)

Data by Altman et al. for exclusive pion absorption on /sup 12/C are reexamined using an impulse approximation formalism which treats pion absorption as proceeding only through absorption on a deuteronlike structure within the target nucleus. The results indicate that previous estimates of the strength of this quasi-deuteron absorption component of the reaction mechanism by Altman et al. are probably too low. Reasonable agreement with the shape and magnitude of the observed angular distribution is achieved by ignoring distortions for both the incoming pion and outgoing nucleons, with somewhat poorer agreement with inclusion of distortions.