JAN 2 7 1995
O S T IThe lack of existence of polarized antiproton beams has severely limited the detailed understanding of the antinucleon-nucleon (EN) interaction at low and intermediate energies. In pazticular, it would be desirable to have improved knowledge of the RN short range force and annihilation. A complete description of R N + RN scattering requires a determination of five complex scattering amplitudes for each of two isospins. At least 19 different spin observables must be measured at each c.m. angle and energy to reconstruct these amplitudes in a model independent fashion. However, only a few different types of spin observables for the jjp + pp and jjp -+ En reactions have been measured. This situation is similar to the status of the NN interactions in the early 1960's. Furthermore, the NN interaction is highly inelastic because of annihilation channels, even at the lowest beam mmxnta, whereas NN scattering is essentially elastic up to about 800 MeV/c. A polarized antiproton beam incident on a polarized proton or deutt;;--ur. target would permit about a dozen new spin observables to be measured ir fiW + RN scattering, as well as many new spin observables for NN + T?i, KK, etc. reactions, making an enormous impact on the understanding 0 : t:.e NN int eract ion.