K+nucleus reaction and total cross sections: New analysis of transmission experiments

The attenuation cross sections measured in transmission experiments at the alternating-gradient synchrotron for $K^{+}$ on ${}^6\mathrm{Li}$, C, Si, and Ca at $p_L$ = 488, 531, 656, and 714 MeV/$c$ are reanalyzed in order to derive total $\left({\sigma }_T\right)$ and reaction $\left({\sigma }_R\right)$ cross sections. The effect of plural (Molière) scattering is properly accounted for, leading to revised values of ${\sigma }_T.$ We demonstrate the model dependence of these values, primarily due to the choice of $K^{+}$ nuclear optical potential used to generate the necessary Coulomb-nuclear and nuclear elastic corrections. Values of ${\sigma }_R$ are also derived, for the first time, from the same data and exhibit a remarkable degree of model independence. The derived values of ${\sigma }_T$ and ${\sigma }_R$ exceed those calculated by the first-order $t\rho$ optical potential for C, Si, and Ca, but not for ${}^6\mathrm{Li}$, particularly at 656 and 714 MeV/$c$ where the excess is 10–25%. Relative to ${}^6\mathrm{Li}$, this excess is found to be nearly energy independent and its magnitude of 15–25% is not reproduced by any nuclear medium effect studied so far.