A Monte Carlo method for simulation of [pi]° production near threshold

Abstract

The Monte Carlo method has been utilized to determine a procedure for the simulation of π° production near threshold. A number of computer programs have been written to perform as well as test the simulation process.

The method consists of generating the pion angles in the center of mass frame and subsequently its decay gammas in the lab frame of the reaction. The gamma distribution generated is fitted via the method of maximum likelihood, and the angular distribution parameters are compared to those utilized in the generation process. Due to an ambiguity in the normalization of the parameters, the ratios of the parameters are considered instead of their absolute magnitude. The fitted parameters are found to agree with the parameters used in the generation program within the limits expected from statistical theory.