K+ production far below the free nucleon-nucleon threshold has been investigated in collisions of 36Ar on 12C, natTi, and 181Ta targets at an incident energy of 92 MeV per nucleon. The cross sections for K+ production have been inferred from the observed muon decays of positive kaons. The results are discussed in the framework of a participant-spectator model and are compared to proton induced K+ production and to subthreshold pion production experiments.
Three different production modes are assumed: (C=ISOTROPIC) isotropic emmision inthe lab frame with a kinetic energy EKIN(K) = 35 MeV, (C=SPECTRUM) isotropic emmision inthe lab frame with a kinetic energy spectrum from S. Gosh, PR C45,R518, (C=FIREBALL) isotropic emmision in the fireball frame with a kinetic ener gy EKIN(K) = 35 MeV.