Cross sections are presented for the inclusive production of Λ hyperons in electron-positron annihilations at s=29 GeV based on the full 291-pb−1 sample of data taken in the High Resolution Spectrometer experiment at the SLAC e+e− storage ring PEP. These results, and the associated correlation analyses, are consistent with the Lund model predictions with the strange diquark suppression ratio δ fixed at 0.59±0.10±0.18, as compared to the standard Lund value of 0.32. The Λ multiplicity has been found to be 0.182±0.020 per event. The opposite-strangeness multiplicity 〈nΛΛ¯〉 has been measured to be 0.046±0.020, whereas the like-strangeness multiplicity 〈nΛΛ+Λ¯Λ¯〉 is 0.009±0.028. A strong correlation is found between Λ's and Λ¯'s; when one is found in an event, the other is found in the same event with a probability that exceeds 50%.
Production of Λ, Λ , and K s 0 has been measured for a wide range of event multiplicity in S+Pb reactions at 200 GeV/c per nucleon. The production of Λ is shown to increase with multiplicity faster than expected from a superposition of p+p collisions. The effect is seen for low multiplicity (below 100 negative particles).
Correlations in rapidity space are presented for identified π± and K± in e+e− annihilation at 29-GeV c.m. energy. Short-range KK correlations indicate local flavor compensation in the hadronization process. Long-range KK and ππ correlations prove that the initial partons carry flavor. In addition, we observe significant Kπ correlations as a result of heavy-quark decays.
From the measurements of the inclusive production ratios between π - , K - and p̄ at Feynman x = 0 in 360 GeV/ c pp interactions and using the predictions of the Lund fragmentation model, we determine the strangeness and diquark suppression factors and find γ s , l = 0.28 ± 0.03 and γ D , l = 0.063 ± 0.011 .
Data on φ -production obtained by the CERN NA49 experiment for central Pb+Pb collisions at 158 GeV/u are presented. Compared with pp interactions the φ -yield shows substantial strangeness enhancement: the φ /π ratio is found to increase by a factor of 2.6 ± 0.6, which is approximately the square of the K/π enhancement.
Measurements are presented of $K~0$ meson and $\Lambda$ baryon production in deep-inelastic positron-proton scattering (DIS) in the kinematic range $10 < Q~2 < 70\,$GeV$~2$ and $10~{-4} < x < 10~{-2}$. The measurements, obtained using the H1 detector at the HERA collider, are discussed in the light of possible mechanisms for increased strangeness production at low Bjorken-$x$. Comparisons of the $x_F$ spectra, where $x_F$ is the fractional longitudinal momentum in the hadronic centre-of-mass frame, with results from electron-positron annihilation are made. The $x_F$ spectra and the $K~0$ ``seagull'' plot are compared with previous DIS results. The mean $K~0$ and $\Lambda$ multiplicities are studied as a function of the centre-of-mass energy $W$ and are observed to be consistent with a logarithmic increase with $W$ when compared with previous measurements. A comparison of the levels of strangeness production in diffractive and non-diffractive DIS is made. An upper limit of $0.9\,$nb, at the $95\%$ confidence level, is placed on the cross-section for QCD instanton induced events.
The production ofK0, Λ and\(\bar \Lambda \) particles is studied in the E665 muon-nucleon experiment at Fermilab. The average multiplicities and squared transverse momenta are measured as a function ofxF andW2. Most features of the data can be well described by the Lund model. Within this model, the data on the K0/π± ratios and on the averageK0 multiplicity in the forward region favor a strangeness suppression factors/u in the fragmentation process near 0.20. Clear evidence for QCD effects is seen in the average squared transverse momentum ofK0 and Λ particles.
Results on the following π−p reactions involving a hyperon are studied at 4.5 and 6.0 GeV/c from a high-statistics bubble-chamber experiment. (1) π−p→(Λ, Σ0)K0: Differential cross sections and hyperon polarizations are presented. Comparison with the line-reversed reactions K¯N→(Λ, Σ0)π indicates the failure of the predictions of K*(890) and K*(1420) exchange degeneracy. Effective trajectories for these two reactions are compared. Shrinkage is observed in K¯N→Λπ and not in π−p→ΛK0. (2) π−p→(Λ, Σ0)K*(890)0: Differential cross sections, hyperon polarizations, and K*(890)0 density-matrix elements are determined. ΛK*(890)0 decay correlations are found to impose strong constraints on the scattering amplitudes. The data indicate that both natural- and unnatural-parity exchanges contribute large, but opposite, Λ polarizations. This behavior cannot be explained by a simple exchange model utilizing K and the exchange-degenerate K*(890) and K*(1420) only. Additional trajectories or absorption effects are required to obtain the observed Λ-polarization effects. Comparison of ΛK*(890)0 and Σ0K*(890)0 indicates the greater importance of unnatural-parity exchange in the former reaction. We observe no evidence for deviations from isospin predictions in ΛK*(890)0 production where K*(890)0→K+π− and KS0π0. (3) π−p→ΛK*(1420)0 and ΛK*(1300)0: K*(1420)0 density-matrix elements satisfying positivity constraints are determined allowing for s-wave interference effects. Evidence of the existence of a narrow K*(1300)0→Kππ with a dominant K+ρ− decay mode is observed in the 4.5- and 6-GeV/c data. (4) Σ(1385), Λ(1405), Λ(1520) production: Differential cross sections for the quasi-two-body reactions π−p→Y0K0, where Y0 is Λ(1405), Λ(1520), or Σ(1385)0, are presented and found to have a very similar flat slope in the forward direction. Data for forward K+ scattering in the reaction π−p→Σ(1385)−K+ are presented and discussed. It is argued that this forward peak cannot be explained by kinematic reflection or an s-channel effect and therefore must be due to either two-particle exchange or a single exotic exchange in the t channel.
Inclusive $K^0$ and $\Lambda$ photoproduction has been investigated at HERA with the H1 detector at an average photon-proton center of mass energy of 200 GeV in the transverse momentum range 0.5 <p_t <5 GeV. The production rates as a function of $p_t$ and center of mass rapidity are compared to those obtained in deep inelastic scattering at $\av{Q^2}=23 GeV^2$. A similar comparison is made of the rapidity spectra of charged particles. The rate of strangeness photoproduction is compared with $p\bar p$ measurements. The observations are also compared with next-to-leading order QCD calculations and the predictions of a Monte Carlo model.
Forum