We report the first multi-differential measurements of strange hadrons of $K^{-}$, $\phi$ and $\Xi^{-}$ yields as well as the ratios of $\phi/K^-$ and $\phi/\Xi^-$ in Au+Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = \rm{3\,GeV}}$ with the STAR experiment fixed target configuration at RHIC. The $\phi$ mesons and $\Xi^{-}$ hyperons are measured through hadronic decay channels, $\phi\rightarrow K^+K^-$ and $\Xi^-\rightarrow \Lambda\pi^-$. Collision centrality and rapidity dependence of the transverse momentum spectra for these strange hadrons are presented. The $4\pi$ yields and ratios are compared to thermal model and hadronic transport model predictions. At this collision energy, thermal model with grand canonical ensemble (GCE) under-predicts the $\phi/K^-$ and $\phi/\Xi^-$ ratios while the result of canonical ensemble (CE) calculations reproduce $\phi/K^-$, with the correlation length $r_c \sim 2.7$ fm, and $\phi/\Xi^-$, $r_c \sim 4.2$ fm, for the 0-10% central collisions. Hadronic transport models including high mass resonance decays could also describe the ratios. While thermal calculations with GCE work well for strangeness production in high energy collisions, the change to CE at $\rm{3\,GeV}$ implies a rather different medium property at high baryon density.
$K^-$ (a), invariant yields as a function of $m_T-m_0$ for various rapidity regions in 0--10\% central Au+Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = \mathrm{3\,GeV}}$. Statistics and systematic uncertainties are added quadratic here for plotting. Solid and dashed black lines depict $m_T$ exponential function fits to the measured data points with arbitrate scaling factors in each rapidity windows.
$\phi$ meson (b) invariant yields as a function of $m_T-m_0$ for various rapidity regions in 0--10\% central Au+Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = \mathrm{3\,GeV}}$. Statistics and systematic uncertainties are added quadratic here for plotting. Solid and dashed black lines depict $m_T$ exponential function fits to the measured data points with arbitrate scaling factors in each rapidity windows.
$\Xi^-$ (c) invariant yields as a function of $m_T-m_0$ for various rapidity regions in 0--10\% central Au+Au collisions at ${\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = \mathrm{3\,GeV}}$. Statistics and systematic uncertainties are added quadratic here for plotting. Solid and dashed black lines depict $m_T$ exponential function fits to the measured data points with arbitrate scaling factors in each rapidity windows.
A search for baryonia with negative and positive strangeness decaying respectively into\(\Lambda+ \bar p + pions\) and\(\bar \Lambda+ p + pions\) has been carried out in a neutron beam with a mean momentum of ≅40 GeV/c in an experiment performed at the Serpukhov accelerator. There is a strong indication of the existence of these baryonia. The following four charge states are observed for negative and positive strangeness: neutral, negative, positive and doubly charged. Their mean mass is 3055±25 MeV/c2 and the width Γ≦36±15 MeV/c2. The data show that the isotopic spin of the baryonia is ≧3/2. The baryonia production cross sections in the acceptable kinematic regionXF≧0.2 andPT≦1 GeV/c times the branching ratios of the observed decays are of the order of 1 μb per nucleon.
The double strangeness exchange reaction ( K − , K + ) is investigated with respect to the sub-threshold production of scalar and vector mesons ( f 0 / a 0 / φ ) decaying into K + K − and the two-step processes induced by intermediate mesons and Ξ − hyperons at p k − = 1.66 GeV/ c using a scintillating fiber active target. The differential cross section ( 〈 dσ dΩ L 〉) averaged over the angular interval (2.3° ⩽ θ K + L ⩽ 14.7°) for the sub-threshold f 0 / a 0 / φ meson production with the K + K − decay is 11 ± 6 μ b/sr at 0.6 ⩽ p K 1 < 0.95 GeV/ c . The present result differs significantly from the theoretical calculation which predicts the contribution of the f 0 / a 0 / φ meson production to be predominant in the ( K − , K + ) reaction below p K + = 0.95 GeV/ c . We found a sizable contribution from two-step ( K − , K + processes, characterized by production of two S = −1 hyperons, consistent with the result of the intra-nuclear cascade (INC) model calculation with respect to the meson-induced hyperon (or hyperon resonance) pair production in the momentum region 0.6 ⩽ p K + < 0.95 GeV/ c . The observed enhancement of the cross section for the two-step ΛΛ production beyond the prediction of the INC model at p K + ⋍ 1.1 GeV /c could be due to the Ξ − p → ΛΛ reaction in 12 C.
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