K*(892)⁰ and K̄*(892)⁰ production in central Pb + Pb, Si + Si, C + C, and inelastic p + p collisions at 158A GeV

Journal Article · Tue Dec 13 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Physical Review. C. Nuclear Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.84.064909· OSTI ID:1098400

Anticic, T.; Baatar, B.; Barna, D.; Bartke, J.; Beck, H.; Betev, L.; Białkowska, H.; Blume, C.; Bogusz, M.; Boimska, B.; Book, J.; Botje, M.; Bunčić, P.; Cetner, T.; Christakoglou, P.; Chung, P.; Chvala, O.; Cramer, J. G.; Eckardt, V.; Fodor, Z. ; Foka, P.; Friese, V.; Gaździcki, M.; Grebieszkow, K.; Höhne, C.; Kadija, K.; Karev, A.; Kolesnikov, V. I.; Kowalski, M.; Kresan, D.; Laszlo, A.; Lacey, R.; van Leeuwen, M.; Mackowiak, M.; Makariev, M.; Malakhov, A. I.; Mateev, M.; Melkumov, G. L.; Mitrovski, M.; Mrówczyński, S.; Nicolic, V.; Pálla, G.; Panagiotou, A. D.; Peryt, W.; Pluta, J.; Prindle, D.; Pühlhofer, F.; Renfordt, R.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Rybczyński, M.; Rybicki, A.; Sandoval, A.; Schmitz, N.; Schuster, T.; Seyboth, P.; Siklér, F.; Skrzypczak, E.; Słodkowski, M.; Stefanek, G.; Stock, R.; Ströbele, H.; Susa, T.; Szuba, M.; Utvić, M.; Varga, D.; Vassiliou, M.; Veres, G. I.; Vesztergombi, G.; Vranić, D.; Włodarczyk, Z.; Wojtaszek-Szwarc, A.

Production of the K*(892)0 and K̄*(892)⁰ resonances was studied via their K⁺π⁻ and K⁻π⁺ decay modes in central Pb+Pb, Si+Si, C+C, and inelastic p+p collisions at 158A GeV(√(^sNN)=17.3 GeV) with the NA49 detector at the CERN SPS. Transverse momentum and rapidity distributions were measured and total yields were estimated. The yield of K* exceeds that of K̄* by about a factor of two in nucleus-nucleus reactions. The total yield ratios ⟨K*⟩/⟨K+⟩ and ⟨K̄*⟩/⟨K-⟩ are strongly suppressed in central Pb+Pb compared to p+p, C+C, and Si+Si collisions, in agreement with the expected attenuation of these short-lived resonance states in the hadronic phase of the expanding fireball. The UrQMD model, although incorporating such a scenario, does not provide a quantitative description of the experimental results. The statistical hadron gas model assuming the same freeze-out parameters for stable hadrons and resonances overestimates the ⟨K*⟩/⟨K⟩ ratios in central Pb+Pb collisions by about a factor of 2.5.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 1098400
• Journal Information: Physical Review. C. Nuclear Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. C. Nuclear Physics Vol. 84 Journal Issue: 6; ISSN 0556-2813
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English