The pp->pp phi reaction has been studied at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY-Juelich, using the internal beam and ANKE facility. Total cross sections have been determined at three excess energies epsilon near the production threshold. The differential cross section closest to threshold at epsilon=18.5 MeV exhibits a clear S-wave dominance as well as a noticeable effect due to the proton-proton final state interaction. Taken together with data for pp omega-production, a significant enhancement of the phi/omega ratio of a factor 8 is found compared to predictions based on the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule.

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Threshold measurements of the associated strangeness production reactions pp --> p K(+) Lambda and pp --> p K(+) Sigma(0) are presented. Although slight differences in the shapes of the excitation functions are observed, the most remarkable feature of the data is that at the same excess energy the total cross section for the Sigma(0) production appears to be about a factor of 28 smaller than the one for the Lambda particle. It is concluded that strong Sigma(0)-p final state interactions, and in particular the Sigma-N --> Lambda-p conversion reaction, are the likely cause of the depletion for the yield in the Sigma signal. This hypothesis is in line with other experimental evidence in the literature.

The doubly-differential cross sections for the pp → ppη and pd → ηX reactions have been measured at incident proton energies of 1.3 and 1.5 GeV. The ratio of the pd to pp -induced cross sections varies from about 8–10 at 1.3 GeV to 4.5–6 at 1.5 GeV in the η kinetic energy interval 100 MeV ⩽ T η ⩽220 MeV. Information on the pn → ηX reaction has been extracted from these measurements within the framework of a simple folding model.

The dielectron yield in p + d and p + p collisions at a beam kinetic energy of 4.9 GeV has been measured using the Dilepton Spectrometer (DLS) at the Bevalac. The measured ratio of the yield in p + d to that in p + p collisions, 1.92±0.06, is in disagreement with the assumptions of model calculations applied to our ealier p +Be data, where it was found that p + n bremsstrahlung dominated other sources. While the measured ratio is consistent with a hadron-like origin of the dielectrons, the contributions of known hadronic decays are smaller than the measured yield from p + p collissions.

The production of eta mesons has been measured in the proton-proton interaction close to the reaction threshold using the COSY-11 internal facility at the cooler synchrotron COSY. Total cross sections were determined for eight different excess energies in the range from 0.5 MeV to 5.4 MeV. The energy dependence of the total cross section is well described by the available phase-space volume weighted by FSI factors for the proton-proton and proton-eta pairs.

We have studied several features of the production of charged-hardon pairs by γγ collisions. We have measured the f0 partial width Γf0→γγ(Q2) for Q2 in the range 0<Q2<1.4 GeV2/c2, and obtained Γf0→γγ=2.52±0.13±0.38 keV at Q2≈0. The measured Q2 dependence is in agreement with the generalized vector-dominance model. The cross section for γγ→(π+π−+K+K−) in the mass region 1.6≤Mππ≤2.5 GeV/c2 has also been measured and the result compared with that expected from the QCD continuum.

Sigma+ hyperon production was measured at the COSY-11 spectrometer via the p p --> n K+ Sigma+ reaction at excess energies of Q = 13 MeV and Q = 60 MeV. These measurements continue systematic hyperon production studies via the p p --> p K+ Lambda/Sigma0 reactions where a strong decrease of the cross section ratio close-to-threshold was observed. In order to verify models developed for the description of the Lambda and Sigma0 production we have performed the measurement on the Sigma+ hyperon and found unexpectedly that the total cross section is by more than one order of magnitude larger than predicted by all anticipated models. After the reconstruction of the kaon and neutron four momenta, the Sigma+ is identified via the missing mass technique. Details of the method and the measurement will be given and discussed in view of theoretical models.

The two-pion production in pp-collisions has been investigated at CELSIUS in exclusive measurements from threshold up to $T_p$ = 1.36 GeV. Total and differential cross sections have been obtained for the channels $pn\pi^+\pi^0$, $pp\pi^+\pi^-$, $pp\pi^0\pi^0$ and also $nn\pi^+\pi^+$. For intermediate incident energies $T_p >$ 1 GeV, i.e. in the region which is beyond the Roper excitation but at the onset of $\Delta\Delta$ excitation, the total $pp\pi^0\pi^0$ cross section falls behind theoretical predictions by as much as an order of magnitude near 1.2 GeV, whereas the $nn\pi^+\pi^+$ cross section is a factor of five larger than predicted. An isospin decompostion of the total cross sections exhibits a s-channel-like energy dependence in the region of the Roper excitation as well as a significant contribution of an isospin 3/2 resonance other than the $\Delta(1232)$. As possible candidates the $\Delta(1600)$ and the $\Delta(1700)$ are discussed.

The cross section for inclusive multipion production in the pp->ppX reaction was measured at COSY-ANKE at four beam energies, 0.8, 1.1, 1.4, and 2.0 GeV, for low excitation energy in the final pp system, such that the diproton quasi-particle is in the 1S0 state. At the three higher energies the missing mass Mx spectra show a strong enhancement at low Mx, corresponding to an ABC effect that moves steadily to larger values as the energy is increased. Despite the missing-mass structure looking very different at 0.8 GeV, the variation with Mx and beam energy are consistent with two-pion production being mediated through the excitation of two Delta(1232) isobars, coupled to S-- and D-- states of the initial pp system.