Coulomb-nuclear interference in $\pi^{\pm}p$ and $K^{\pm}p$ elastic scattering below 3 GeV: Measurements, real parts and $K^{\pm}p$ dispersion relations

The differential cross sections for $\pi^{+}p$ elastic scattering at 0.6, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 GeV/c, for $\pi^{-}p$ at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 GeV/c, for $K^{+}p$ at 1.2, 1.8, 2.6 GeV/c and for $K^{-}p$ at 0.9, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.6 GeV/c have been measured with an overall accuracy of the order of 1 to 2% in an electronics experiment over the angular region corresponding to momentum transfers t between 0.0005 and 0.10 GeV/sup 2/. Making use of the interference effects between the Coulomb and the nuclear interaction, the authors have determined the magnitude and sign of the real part of the scattering amplitude near t=0. The $K^{\pm}p$ real parts have been used in a dispersion relation to derive the value of the KN Lambda coupling constant. (26 refs)