Hadron production and propagation in pion-induced reactions on nuclei

Hadron production ($\pi^{\pm}$, proton, $\Lambda, K^{0}_{S}, K^{\pm}$) in $\pi^{-}$ + C and $\pi^{-}$ + W collisions is investigated at an incident pion beam momentum of 1.7 GeV/c. This comprehensive set of data measured with HADES at SIS18/GSI significantly extends the existing world data on hadron production in pion induced reactions and provides a new reference for models that are commonly used for the interpretation of heavy-ion collisions. The measured inclusive differential production cross-sections are compared with state-of-the-art transport model (GiBUU, SMASH) calculations. The (semi-) exclusive channel $\pi^{-}$ + A $\to \Lambda$ + $K^{0}_{S}$ + X, in which the kinematics of the strange hadrons are correlated, is also investigated and compared to a model calculation. Agreement and remaining tensions between data and the current version of the considered transport models are discussed.