Inelastic Proton Scattering at 800 MeV to theC1215.11-MeV State: A Search for Nuclear Critical Opalescence

The differential cross section for the reaction ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$($p$,$p^{\prime }$)${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$* (15.11 MeV, $1^{+}$, $T=1\mathrm{}$) has been measured at 800 MeV; the range of the angular distribution corresponds to momentum transfers of 0.7-2.4 ${\mathrm{fm}}^{-1\mathrm{}}$ [$\mathrm{}(1-3.3)\mathrm{}{m}_{\pi }$]. The cross section decreases almost exponentially at large angles; no maximum is observed in the region where nuclear critical opalescence might be expected.