Total and differential cross sections of eta-production in proton-deuteron fusion for excess energies between Q(eta)=13 MeV and Q(eta)=81 MeV

New data on both total and differential cross sections of the production of eta mesons in proton-deuteron fusion to He-3 eta in the excess energy region 13.6 MeV <= Q(eta) <= 80.9 MeV are presented. These data have been obtained with the WASA-at-COSY detector setup located at the Forschungszentrum Julich, using a proton beam at 15 different beam momenta between p(p) = 1.60 GeV/c and p(p) = 1.74 GeV/c. While significant structure of the total cross section is observed in the energy region 20 MeV less than or similar to Q(eta) less than or similar to 60 MeV, a previously reported sharp variation around Q(eta) approximate to 50 MeV cannot be confirmed. Angular distributions show the typical forward- peaking that was noted earlier. For the first time, it is possible to study the development of these angular distributions with rising excess energy over a wide interval. (c) 2018 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V