https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-13928-1
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
Study of proton–nucleus interactions in the DsTau/NA65 experiment at the CERN-SPS
1
Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Tsurukabuto, Nada, 657-8501, Kobe, Japan
2
Chiba University, Yayoi 1-33, Inage, 263-8522, Chiba, Chiba, Japan
3
Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Laboratory for High Energy Physics, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
4
Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, 819-0395, Fukuoka, Japan
5
CERN, 1 Esplanade des Particules, 1211, Meyrin, Switzerland
6
Affiliated with an International Laboratory Covered by a Cooperation Agreement with CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
7
Laboratory of High Energy Physics, Institute of Space Science subsidiary of INFLPR, 409, Atomistilor Street, 077125, Magurele, Ilfov, Romania
8
Physics Department, Middle East Technical University, Dumlupınar Bulvarı, 06800, Ankara, Turkey
9
Department of Science Education, Aichi University of Education, 448-8542, Kariya, Japan
10
Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, 464-8602, Nagoya, Japan
11
Institute for Particle physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 5, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
12
RIKEN Nishina Center, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, 351-0198, Wako, Saitama, Japan
13
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
Received:
8
November
2024
Accepted:
10
February
2025
Published online:
5
March
2025
The DsTau(NA65) experiment at CERN was proposed to measure an inclusive differential cross-section of 
production with decay to tau lepton and tau neutrino in p–A interactions. The DsTau detector is based on the nuclear emulsion technique, which provides excellent spatial resolution for detecting short-lived particles like charmed hadrons. This paper presents the first results of the analysis of the pilot-run (2018 run) data and reports the accuracy of the proton interaction vertex reconstruction. High precision in vertex reconstruction enables detailed measurement of proton interactions, even in environments with high track density. The measured data has been compared with several Monte Carlo event generators in terms of multiplicity and angular distribution of charged particles. The multiplicity distribution obtained in p–W interactions is tested for KNO-G scaling and is found to be nearly consistent. The interaction length of protons in tungsten is measured to be 
The results presented in this study can be used to validate event generators of p–A interactions.
© The Author(s) 2025
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Funded by SCOAP3.
