A method for computing hadron-nucleus cross sections in fully active sampling calorimetric targets

Interaction cross section measurements in fixed-target scattering experiments are typically performed by measuring the attenuation of a beam of particles that is incident upon a target slab of material. A fully active sampling calorimeter, such as the time projection chamber, is a more voluminous target that can be treated as a series of smaller target slabs. We present a method of computing hadron-nucleus interaction cross sections for data taken with fully active sampling calorimeters that is robust even if the target is comprised of numerous slabs of various thicknesses.