Beam-dump experiments

The author reviews the results of a series of proton beam-dump experiments, carried out in 1979 at BNL with 28 GeV/c protons, at FNAL with 350 GeV/c protons, and at CERN with 400 GeV/c protons. The aims of these experiments were: (i) to check the equality of the prompt nu /sub e/, nu /sub e/, nu /sub mu /, and nu /sub mu / fluxes expected from the DD production model, and in particular to establish the prompt nu /sub mu / and nu /sub mu / fluxes by use of the extrapolation method, (ii) to clear up some discrepancy in the prompt electron-neutrino flux between the CERN-Dortmund-Heidelberg-Saclay (CDHS) counter experiment, and the BEBC and Gargamelle bubble-chamber experiments, (iii) to explore the energy dependence and the differential cross section for charmed-particle production, and, of course, (iv) to look for new and unexpected phenomena beyond charm production.