Coupled-channel effects in kaon pair production

TL;DR

This paper investigates coupled-channel effects in kaon pair production during proton-proton collisions, highlighting residual K+K- interactions and their relation to the Lambda(1405) resonance using theoretical models.

Contribution

It introduces a simple K-matrix approach and a separable potential model to analyze coupled-channel effects in kaon production, providing new insights into the underlying interactions.

Findings

Evidence of residual K+K- interaction effects, including a possible cusp at the K0ar{K}0 threshold.

Relation between production rates and invariant mass distributions for different reactions.

Plausible connection of the reactions to the Lambda(1405) resonance.

Abstract

Two coupled channel effects connected with kaon pair production in proton-proton collisions are discussed. (1) Although there is ample evidence that the antikaon is strongly attracted to the recoil protons in pp -> K+pK-p, residual effects of the K+K- interaction are seen, including a possible cusp at the K0\bar{K}0 threshold. This is investigated within a simple K-matrix approach. (2) The production rates and invariant mass distributions for pp -> K+p{K-p} and pp -> K+p{pi0 Sigma0} are related using a separable potential description of the coupled K-p/pi0 Sigma0 channels. It can be plausibly argued that this pair of reactions is driven through the production of the Lambda(1405).