Hadron cascades induced by electron and photon beams in the GeV energy range

Abstract We consider the calculation of high energy hadron cascades induced by electron and photon beams in the GeV energy range. The most important source of high energy hadrons is the hadronic interaction of photons from the primary electron-photon shower. The hadronic interaction of high energy photons is described by the vector meson dominance model and by a Monte Carlo version of the dual multistring fragmentation model. The results of the calculation are compared to experimental data on hadron production in photon-proton collisions and on the hadron production by electron beams on targets. The electron beam induced hadron cascade is calculated in extended materials.