Study of jet production in p-N interactions at root s approximate to 500 GeV in EAS multicore events

The cross section for large p(t) jet production for transverse momentum 10 less than or equal to p(t) less than or equal to 20 GeV/c and rapidity 1.6 less than or equal to eta less than or equal to 2.6 in p-N (p-'air') interactions is studied from the analysis of multicore Extensive Air Showers recorded in the EAS-TOP calorimeter. The projectiles are the leading particles interacting at atmospheric depths between 250 and 480 cm(-2), the CMS energy of interaction being root s = 500 GeV. The slope of the p(t) distribution agrees with the expected one from the p-(p) over bar collider data at the same CMS energy. The measured jet production cross section in p-N interactions with respect to p-(p) over bar interactions is (d sigma/dp(t))(pN)(jet) = (d sigma/dp(t))(p (p) over bar)(jet) . A(alpha) with alpha = 1.56 +/- 0.07 for A = 14.7 (average mass number of 'air' nuclei). Such value is compatible within the experimental uncertainties with the one obtained in p-nucleus accelerator measurements at root s similar to 30 GeV in the same range of transverse momentum and rapidity. No indication of increase of alpha with energy, i.e. of the entity of the 'Cronin effect', is found. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.