Data on the mean multiplicity of strange hadrons produced in minimum bias proton--proton and central nucleus--nucleus collisions at momenta between 2.8 and 400 GeV/c per nucleon have been compiled. The multiplicities for nucleon--nucleon interactions were constructed. The ratios of strange particle multiplicity to participant nucleon as well as to pion multiplicity are larger for central nucleus--nucleus collisions than for nucleon--nucleon interactions at all studied energies. The data at AGS energies suggest that the latter ratio saturates with increasing masses of the colliding nuclei. The strangeness to pion multiplicity ratio observed in nucleon--nucleon interactions increases with collision energy in the whole energy range studied. A qualitatively different behaviour is observed for central nucleus--nucleus collisions: the ratio rapidly increases when going from Dubna to AGS energies and changes little between AGS and SPS energies. This change in the behaviour can be related to the increase in the entropy production observed in central nucleus-nucleus collisions at the same energy range. The results are interpreted within a statistical approach. They are consistent with the hypothesis that the Quark Gluon Plasma is created at SPS energies, the critical collision energy being between AGS and SPS energies.
Charged- and neutral-particle production from 400-GeV/c pp collisions are measured simultaneously using the Fermilab 15-ft bubble chamber. The π0 and K0 cross sections are rising at Fermilab energies, while the Λ0 cross section remains fairly constant. Similarly, the average number of π0's and K0's increases as a function of the number of negative particles in an event, yet no such dependence is noted for the Λ0's. The ratio of average number of π0 to average number of π− per inelastic collisions is found to be constant at Serpukhov and Fermilab energies (40 to 400 GeV/c) and equal to 1.22±0.02. Cross sections for Σ0 and Σ¯0 production are measured and limits are found for η0 and ω0 production. Neutral- and charged-pion correlations are compared with five pion-production models.
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).
The interactions of $\bar p$ with D(2), Li(7), C(12), S(32), Cu(64) and Pb(207) nuclei at $40 GeV/c$ were studied by RISC-streamer chamber spectrometer. The yields of $K^0$ mesons and $\Lambda$ and $\bar\Lambda$ hyperons as functions of the target nucleus mass numbers are investigated. The experimental results are compared with model predictions using $FRITIOF-7.02$ program package.
Production of charged kaons in proton-sulphur, proton-gold, sulphur-sulphur and oxygen-gold collisions at 200 GeV/nucleon has been studied in the NA35 Streamer Chamber experiment. Rapidity and transverse mass distributions as well as mean multiplicities were obtained. The results are compared with nucleon-nucleon data and with model predictions.
Measurements of inclusive production of the Lambda, Xi- and Xi*(1530) baryons in two-photon collisions with the L3 detector at LEP are presented. The inclusive differential cross sections for Lambda and Xi- are measured as a function of the baryon transverse momentum, pt, and pseudo-rapidity, eta. The mean number of Lambda, Xi- and Xi*(1530) baryons per hadronic two-photon event is determined in the kinematic range 0.4 GeV < pt< 2.5 GeV, |eta| < 1.2. Overall agreement with the theoretical models and Monte Carlo predictions is observed. A search for inclusive production of the pentaquark theta+(1540) in two-photon collisions through the decay theta+ -> proton K0s is also presented. No evidence for production of this state is found.
Inclusive K0K¯0, Λ0, and Λ¯0 cross sections have been determined using a 292-event/mb exposure of the hydrogen-filled 15-foot bubble chamber at Fermilab. From the invariant-mass distributions of V0π± pairs we find that σ(K*±(890))=4.4±1.4 mb, σ(Σ*±(1385))=0.54±0.40 mb, and σ(Σ¯*±(1385))=0.45±0.34 mb. It is estimated that 0.32 ± 0.11 of K0K¯0's, 0.21 ± 0.16 of Λ's, and 0.96 ± 0.75 of Λ¯'s originate from decays of K*(890) and Σ*(1385), respectively.
An analysis of theA-dependence of the target-diffractive cross-section is presented. Data on thet-dependence of the cross section are fitted in the usual exponential form. The mean multiplicity of negative particles produced diffractively is found not to be sensitive to the nuclear mass. TheA-dependence of the emitted proton multiplicity and the angular distributions of the produced charged particles suggest re-scattering of the emitted particles on other nucleons of the nucleus. All these facts are compared with results obtained by Monte-Carlo simulation according to a two-component Dual Parton Model.
The Split Field Magnet facility at the CERN ISR has been used to measure inclusive resonance production in inelastic p-p collisions at a c.m. energy of 53 GeV. The mass spectrum of pairs of oppositely charged hadrons shows a strong correlation, which can be explained as a consequence of dominant vector meson production, accounting for more than 60% of all pions and kaons produced.
The production of neutral strange particles (K0, Λ) inp Ar,pXe and\(\bar p\)Xe collisions at 200 GeV is investigated in the NA5 experiment using a streamer chamber at the CERN SPS. Results are presented on inclusive cross sections, average multiplicities, and on rapidity and transverse momentum distributions of neutral strange particles.