Total cross section parameterizations for pion production in nucleon–nucleon collisions

Total cross section parameterizations for neutral and charged pion production in nucleon–nucleon collisions are compared to experimental data over the projectile momentum range from threshold to 300 GeV. Both proton–proton and proton–neutron reactions are considered. Overall excellent agreement between parameterizations and experiment is found, except for some disagreements near threshold. This gives much greater confidence to previously developed pion cross section formulas for nucleon–nucleon, proton–nucleus, and nucleus–nucleus reactions. These results are useful for particle transport.