Peripheral production and decay parameters of N*++(1238) in pp→nN*++(1238) at 5.5 GeV/c

Experimental differential cross sections and N*(1238) decay parameters for the reaction pp→nN*++(1238) at 5.5 GeV/c are presented. The differential cross sections are well described by an absorptive one-pion-exchange model with equal pp and nN*(1238) elastic cross sections. A better agreement is achieved using a steeper nN* differential cross section than that for the pp one, or with a sharp cutoff model corresponding to an absorption radius of about 0.9-1.0 F. The N*(1238) decay parameters are also found to be in good agreement with the absorption model.