Comparison of the pp -> pi+ pn and pp -> pi+ d production rates

Fully constrained bubble chamber data on the pp -> pi+ pn and pp -> pi+ d reactions are used to investigate the ratio of the counting rates for the two processes at low pn excitation energies. Whereas the ratio is in tolerable agreement with that found in a high resolution spectrometer experiment, the angular distribution in the final pn rest frame shows that the deviation from the predictions of final state interaction theory must originate primarily from higher partial waves in the pn system. These considerations might also be significant for the determination of the S-wave Lambda:p scattering length from data on the pp -> K+ Lambda p reaction.