$\rho-\omega$ interference in $\pi^{-}p\rightarrow\pi^{-}\pi^{+}$n at 17.2 GeV

Results are presented of a study of rho - omega interference effects in high statistics, good resolution, pi /sup -/p to pi /sup +/ pi /sup -/n data obtained at 17.2 GeV using the CERN-Munich spectrometer. The t dependance of rho - omega interference in the various pi pi production amplitudes is investigated. While effects are observed in all the P-wave production amplitudes, the most pronounced structure occurs in the natural parity exchange amplitude in the t interval 0.1<or=-t<or=0.4 GeV/sup 2/. Under certain the relative magnitudes and phases of the rho - and omega -production amplitudes as functions of t are determined. (22 refs).