Speculations on the Production of Vector Mesons

Various approximate methods are applied in order to estimate vector boson production at high energies. Most of the calculations refer to photon-induced interactions, but in addition a certain class of reactionS induced by fl and K beams is discussed. The photoproduction of p's and U'S is considered by a diffraction mechanism as well as by a one pion exchange mechanism. Both of these methods lead to surprisingly large numbers for the cross section. The subsequent decay of p"(Loo> --f e+(l-l+) + e-h-> is considered as a possible and interpretable correction to the pure QED calculations of large angle pair production. The possibility of measuring the p(w)fly coupling constant is examined by considering the coherent process in the nuclear Coulomb field J( + A -+p(u)) + A. The question of whether vector boson production could give significant enhancement to secondary pion and kaon beams is considered. No confident theoretical statement can be made about this question, and a definite answer depends on the experimental determination of certain parameters.