Near-threshold $omega$-meson production in proton-proton collisions: With or without resonance excitations ?

We present results for the $p p to p p omega$ reaction studied by considering two different scenarios: with and without the inclusion of nucleon resonance excitations. The recently measured angular distribution by the COSY-TOF Collaboration at an excess energy of $Q = 173$ MeV and the energy dependence of the total cross section data for $pi^- p to omega n$ are used to calibrate the model parameters. The inclusion of nucleon resonances improves the theoretical prediction for the energy dependence of the total cross section in $pp to ppomega$ at excess energies $Q < 31$ MeV. However, it still underestimates the data by about a factor of two, and remains a problem in understanding the reaction mechanism.