A sample of Lambda's produced in 2 A*GeV Ni + Cu collisions has been obtained with the EOS Time Projection Chamber at the Bevalac. Low background in the invariant mass distribution allows for the unambiguous demonstration of Lambda directed flow. The transverse mass spectrum at mid-rapidity has the characteristic shoulder-arm shape of particles undergoing radial transverse expansion. A linear dependence of Lambda multiplicity on impact parameter is observed, from which a total Lambda + Sigma^0 production cross section of $112 +/- 24 mb is deduced. Detailed comparisons with the ARC and RVUU models are made.
The NA44 Collaboration has measured yields and differential distributions of K+, K-, pi+, pi- in transverse kinetic energy and rapidity, around the center-of-mass rapidity in 158 A GeV/c Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS. A considerable enhancement of K+ production per pi is observed, as compared to p+p collisions at this energy. To illustrate the importance of secondary hadron rescattering as an enhancement mechanism, we compare strangeness production at the SPS and AGS with predictions of the transport model RQMD.
Transverse mass spectra of pions, kaons, and protons from the symmetric heavy-ion collisions 200 A GeV S+S and 158 A GeV Pb+Pb, measured in the NA44 focusing spectrometer at CERN, are presented. The mass dependence of the slope parameters provides evidence of collective transverse flow from expansion of the system in heavy-ion induced central collisions.
The production of charged kaon pairs in two-photon interactions has been studied with the ARGUS detector and the topological cross section has been measured. The γγ-widths and interference parameters have been determined for the tensor mesonsf2 (1270),a2 (1318) andf′2 (1525). The helicity structure assumed for the continuum contribution has a significant effect on the result. Upper limits have been obtained for the γγ-widths of the glueball candidate statesf2 (1720) andX (2230).
The reactions e^+e^- -> e^+e^- Lambda X and e^+e^- -> e^+e^- Lambda X are studied using data collected at LEP with the L3 detector at centre-of-mass energies between 189 and 209 GeV. Inclusive differential cross sections are measured as a function of the lambda transverse momentum, p_t, and pseudo-rapidity, eta, in the ranges 0.4 GeV < p_t < 2.5 GeV and |\eta| < 1.2. The data are compared to Monte Carlo predictions. The differential cross section as a function of p_t is well described by an exponential of the form A exp (- p_t / <p_t>)$.
Results from the HELIOS External Spectrometer on kaon production in 200 GeV/ A S + W and p + W collisions are presented. The K π ratios are compared with results from a lower beam energy and are found to be remarkably similar. Evidence for secondary production of K + by meson-baryon rescattering is reviewed. Our results at y = 1.0–1.5 are compared with neutral strange particle results at midrapidity.
The WA94 experiment uses the production of strange particles and antiparticles to investigate the properties of hot hadronic matter created in heavy-ion interactions. Λ, Λ , Ξ − and Ξ + particle yields and transverse mass spectra are presented for pS interactions. These results are compared with those from SS interactions. Our results are also compared with those from pW and SW interactions of the WA85 experiment.
Subthreshold ¯p andK− and energeticπ− production was studied in Ne + NaF, Cu, Sn and Bi, and in Ni + Ni collisions with incident energies between 1.6 and 2 GeV/u. The measured cross sections indicate a dominant contribution of baryonic resonances. This is also consistent with a generalized scaling behaviour of the cross sections with the energy available in the collision and the energy necessary to produce particles as observed with Ne induced reactions. Deviations from scaling especially pronounced in the Ni-Ni system will be discussed in terms of absorption effects. The flat slope of the excitation function for ¯p production can be related to a reduced production threshold caused by a reduction of the antiproton mass in the dense and heated medium by about 100—150 MeV/c2. A similar in-medium mass reduction is also indicated forK− mesons. An increased ¯p reabsorption probability for the heavier systems is concluded from the comparison of the ¯p yields in Ne + NaF, Ne + Sn and Ni + Ni collisions.
Inclusive charged hadron production, e+e- -> e+e- h+- X, is studied using 414 pb-1 of data collected at LEP with the L3 detector at centre-of-mass energies between 189 and 202 GeV. Single particle inclusive differential cross sections are measured as a function of the particle transverse momentum, pt, and pseudo-rapidity, eta. For p_t < 1.5 GeV, the data are well described by an exponential, typical of soft hadronic processes. For higher pt, the onset of perturbative QCD processes is observed. The pi+- production cross section for pt > 5 GeV is much higher than the NLO QCD predictions.
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.
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