<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mrow><mml:msup><mml:mrow><mml:mi>π</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mo>−</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:msup></mml:mrow><mml:mi>p</mml:mi></mml:math>interactions at 360 GeV/<i>c</i>: Measurement of the total and elastic cross sections and the charged-particle multiplicity distribution

In a sample of 108 563 pictures taken with the Fermilab 30-inch hydrogen bubble chamber, exposed to a 360-GeV/c ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ beam, we have observed 19 453 interactions in a selected fiducial region. The observed charged multiplicity distribution has been corrected for the effects of scan efficiency, errors in prong count, missed close-in vees, secondary interactions, and neutron stars and for Dalitz pairs. The two-prong events have been corrected for losses at low $\ensuremath{-}t$. The total cross section is measured to be 25.25 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.35 mb, and the elastic cross section is 3.61 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.11 mb with an exponential slope of (8.82 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.30) ${(\mathrm{G}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathit{c})}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The average charged-particle multiplicity for inelastic events is 8.73 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.04, and the second moment ${f}_{2}$ is measured to be 9.83 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.23.