The total cross section for the dd -> 4He K+ K- reaction has been measured at a beam momentum of 3.7 GeV/c, corresponding to an excess energy of 39 MeV, which is the maximum possible at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY-J{u}lich. A deuterium cluster-jet ta
rget and the ANKE forward magnetic spectrometer, placed inside the storage ring, have been employed in this investigation. We find a total cross section of sigma(tot) < 14 pb, which brings into question the viability of investigating the dd -> 4He a0(980) reaction as a means of studying isospin violation.
The differential cross section and deuteron analysing powers of the dp -> {pp}n charge-exchange reaction have been measured with the ANKE spectrometer at the COSY storage ring. Using a deuteron beam of energy 1170 MeV, data were obtained for small mo
mentum transfers to a {pp} system with low excitation energy. A good quantitative understanding of all the measured observables is provided by the impulse approximation using known neutron-proton amplitudes. The proof of principle achieved here for the method suggests that measurements at higher energies will provide useful information in regions where the existing np database is far less reliable.
