Inclusive K+ Meson Production in Proton Nucleus Interactions


Inclusive K+ Meson Production in Proton Nucleus Interactions

Büscher, M.; Koptev, V.; Nekipelov, M.; Rudy, Z.; Ströher, H.; Valdau, Y.; Barsov, S.; Hartmann, M.; Hejny, V.; Kleber, V.; Lang, N.; Lehmann, I.; Mikirtychiants, S.; Ohm, H.

The production of K+-mesons in pA (A = D: Q Cu, Ag, Au) collisions has been investigated at the COoler SYnchrotroii COSY-Julich for beam energies T-p = 1.0-2.3 GeV. Double differential inclusive p C cross-sections at forward angles theta(K+) < 12&DEG; as well as the target mass dependence of the K+ momentum spectra have been measured with the ANKE spectrometer. Far below the free NN threshold at T-NN = 1.58 GeV the spectra reveal a high degree of collectivity in the target nucleus. From the target mass dependence of the cross-sections at higher energies, the repulsive in-medium potential of the K+--mesons can be deduced. Using pN cross-section parameterisations from the literature and our measured pD data we derive a cross-section ratio σ(pn --> K+X)/sigma(pp --> K+X) similar to (3-4).

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Publ.-Id: 7068