Production of J/ psi via psi ' and chi decay in 300 GeV/c proton- and pi +/--nucleon interactions.

The production of the [chi][sub 1] and [chi][sub 2] states of charmonium has been observed in 300 GeV/[ital c] [pi][sup [plus minus]][ital N] and [ital pN] interactions. The fraction of the total inclusive [ital J]/[psi] production due to radiative [chi] decay has been determined to be 0.40[plus minus]0.04, 0.37[plus minus]0.03, and 0.30[plus minus]0.04 for the [pi][sup +], [pi][sup [minus]], and proton data, respectively. Total cross sections have been obtained of 131[plus minus]18[plus minus]14 and 188[plus minus]30[plus minus]21 nb/nucleon in the 300 GeV/[ital c] [pi][sup [minus]][ital N] interactions for [chi][sub 1] and [chi][sub 2] production. By measuring the contributions to the [ital J]/[psi] production due to both [psi][prime] and radiative [chi] decay, the cross sections for direct [ital J]/[psi] production have been determined to be 97[plus minus]14, 102[plus minus]14, and 89[plus minus]12 nb/nucleon for [pi][sup +], [pi][sup [minus]], and protons, respectively.