Pion production with an electron beam

[cambrian]

If one directed a 3 GeV electron beam at a target (say carbon) would pions be produced? If so, what percentage would be produced compared to bombarding the same target with a 3 GeV proton beam? In other words, how important is it that electrons do not interact via the strong nuclear force?

Many thanks.

 

[mfb]

Many electrons would lose their energy via scattering at other electrons or bremsstrahlung. You would get some hard collisions, they can produce pions, too (as the carbon nucleus interacts via the strong interaction). I don't know the ratio, but the setups are really different.