Large-Angle π - Proton Elastic Scattering at 14 and 23 GeV/c

The differential cross section for ${\\ensuremath{\\pi}}^{\\ensuremath{-}}\\ensuremath{-}p$ elastic scattering has been measured at 13.8 and 22.6 GeV/c up to $\\ensuremath{-}t=5$ ${(\\mathrm{G}\\mathrm{e}\\mathrm{V}/\\mathit{c})}^{2}$. The dips in the angular distribution at $\\ensuremath{-}t\\ensuremath{\\approx}0.8 \\mathrm{and} 2.8$ ${(\\mathrm{G}\\mathrm{e}\\mathrm{V}/\\mathit{c})}^{2}$ previously observed at lower momenta become less prominent at higher momentum. The $\\ensuremath{-}t=2.8$ ${(\\mathrm{G}\\mathrm{e}\\mathrm{V}/\\mathit{c})}^{2}$ dip is still observed at 13.8 GeV/c, but at 22.6 GeV/c it has become a sharp kink in the angular distribution. At large momentum transfers, $\\frac{d\\ensuremath{\\sigma}}{\\mathrm{dt}}$ at fixed $t$ is still decreasing with increasing $s$, but at a slower rate in the 14- to 23-GeV/c region than at lower momenta.