We present the analysis of the inclusive $K^{0}$ production in p+p and p+Nb collisions measured with the HADES detector at a beam kinetic energy of 3.5 GeV. Data are compared to the GiBUU transport model. The data suggest the presence of a repulsive momentum-dependent kaon potential as predicted by the Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT). For the kaon at rest and at normal nuclear density, the ChPT potential amounts to $approx 35$ MeV. A detailed tuning of the kaon production cross sections implemented in the model has been carried out to reproduce the experimental data measured in p+p collisions. The uncertainties in the parameters of the model were examined with respect to the sensitivity of the experimental results from p+Nb collisions to the in-medium kaon potential.
We present results on the K*(892)+ production in proton-proton collisions at a beam energy of E = 3.5 GeV, which is hitherto the lowest energy at which this mesonic resonance has been observed in nucleon-nucleon reactions. The data are interpreted within a two-channel model that includes the 3-body production of K*(892)+ associated with the Lambda- or Sigma-hyperon. The relative contributions of both channels are estimated. Besides the total cross section sigma(p+p -> K*(892)+ + X) = 9.5 +- 0.9 +1.1 -0.9 +- 0.7 mub, that adds a new data point to the excitation function of the K*(892)+ production in the region of low excess energy, transverse momenta and angular spectra are extracted and compared with the predictions of the two-channel model. The spin characteristics of K*(892)+ are discussed as well in terms of the spin-alignment.
The inclusive production of {Lambda} hyperons in proton-proton collisions at $sqrt{s}$ = 3.18 GeV was measured with HADES at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt. The experimental data are compared to a data-based model for individual exclusive {Lambda} production channels in the same reaction. The contributions of intermediate resonances such as {Sigma}(1385), {Delta}++ or N* are considered in detail. In particular, the result of a partial wave analysis is accounted for the abundant pK$^+${Lambda} final state. Model and data show a reasonable agreement at mid rapidities, while a difference is found for larger rapidities. A total {Lambda} production cross section in p+p collisions at $sqrt{s}$ = 3.18 GeV of {sigma}(pp $to$ {Lambda} + X) = 207.3 $pm$ 1.3 +6.0 -7.3 (stat.) $pm$ 8.4 (syst.) +0.4 -0.5 (model) {mu}b is found.
We report on baryon resonance production and decay in proton-proton collisions at a kinetic energy of $3.5$ GeV based on data measured with HADES. The exclusive channels $pp rightarrow nppi^{+}$ and $pp rightarrow pppi^{0}$ as well as $pp rightarrow ppe^{+}e^{-}$ are studied simultaneously for the first time. The invariant masses and angular distributions of the pion-nucleon systems were studied and compared to simulations based on a resonance model ansatz assuming saturation of the pion production by an incoherent sum of baryonic resonances (R) with masses $<2~$ GeV/$c^2$. A very good description of the one-pion production is achieved allowing for an estimate of individual baryon-resonance production-cross-sections which are used as input to calculate the dielectron yields from $Rrightarrow pe^+e^-$ decays. Two models of the resonance decays into dielectrons are examined assuming a point-like $RN gamma^*$ coupling and the dominance of the $rho$ meson. The results of model calculations are compared to data from the exclusive $ppe^{+}e^{-}$ channel by means of the dielectron and $pe^+e^-$ invariant mass distributions.
An exclusive analysis of the 4-body final states $mathrm{Lambda + p + pi^{+} + K^{0}}$ and $mathrm{Sigma^{0} + p + pi^{+} + K^{0}}$ measured with HADES for p+p collisions at a beam kinetic energy of 3.5 GeV is presented. The analysis uses various phase space variables, such as missing mass and invariant mass distributions, in the four particle event selection (p, $pi^+$, $pi^+$, $pi^-$) to find cross sections of the different production channels, contributions of the intermediate resonances $mathrm{Delta^{++}}$ and $mathrm{Sigma(1385)^{+}}$ and corresponding angular distributions. A dominant resonant production is seen, where the reaction $mathrm{Lambda + Delta^{++} + K^{0}}$ has an about ten times higher cross section ($mathrm{29.45pm0.08^{+1.67}_{-1.46}pm2.06,mu b}$) than the analogous non-resonant reaction ($mathrm{2.57pm0.02^{+0.21}_{-1.98}pm0.18,mu b}$). A similar result is obtained in the corresponding $Sigma^{0}$ channels with $mathrm{9.26pm0.05^{+1.41}_{-0.31}pm0.65, mu b}$ in the resonant and $mathrm{1.35pm0.02^{+0.10}_{-1.35}pm0.09,mu b}$ in the non-resonant reactions.
Differential and total cross sections for the pp -> ppK+K- reaction have been measured at a proton beam energy of 2.83 GeV using the COSY-ANKE magnetic spectrometer. Detailed model descriptions fitted to a variety of one-dimensional distributions permit the separation of the pp -> pp phi cross section from that of non-phi production. The differential spectra show that higher partial waves represent the majority of the pp -> pp phi total cross section at an excess energy of 76 MeV, whose energy dependence would then seem to require some s-wave phi-p enhancement near threshold. The non-phi data can be described in terms of the combined effects of two-body final state interactions using the same effective scattering parameters determined from lower energy data.