Abstract Hadron production ( $$\pi ^\pm $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>π</mml:mi> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> </mml:msup> </mml:math> , proton, $$\Lambda $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mi>Λ</mml:mi> </mml:math> , $$K_S^0$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mi>K</mml:mi> <mml:mi>S</mml:mi> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> , $$K^\pm $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>K</mml:mi> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> </mml:msup> </mml:math> ) in $$\pi ^- + \textrm{C}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>π</mml:mi> <mml:mo>-</mml:mo> </mml:msup> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mtext>C</mml:mtext> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> and $$\pi ^- + \textrm{W}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>π</mml:mi> <mml:mo>-</mml:mo> </mml:msup> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mtext>W</mml:mtext> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> collisions is investigated at an incident pion beam momentum of $$1.7~\textrm{GeV}/c$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>1.7</mml:mn> <mml:mspace/> <mml:mtext>GeV</mml:mtext> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:mi>c</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> . This comprehensive set of data measured with HADES at SIS18/GSI significantly extends the existing world data on hadron production in pion induced reactions and provides a new reference for models that are commonly used for the interpretation of heavy-ion collisions. The measured inclusive differential production cross-sections are compared with state-of-the-art transport model (GiBUU, SMASH) calculations. The (semi-) exclusive channel $$\pi ^- + A \rightarrow \Lambda + K_S^0 +X$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>π</mml:mi> <mml:mo>-</mml:mo> </mml:msup> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mi>A</mml:mi> <mml:mo>→</mml:mo> <mml:mi>Λ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mi>K</mml:mi> <mml:mi>S</mml:mi> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mi>X</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> , in which the kinematics of the strange hadrons are correlated, is also investigated and compared to a model calculation. Agreement and remaining tensions between data and the current version of the considered transport models are discussed.

Hadron production and propagation in pion-induced reactions on nuclei