Nuclear in-medium effects of strange particles in proton-nucleus collisions

TL;DR

This study investigates how in-medium effects influence strange particle production in proton-nucleus collisions near threshold energies, using the Lanzhou quantum molecular dynamics model to explain experimental ratios.

Contribution

It introduces in-medium modifications via effective mass and mean-field potentials into the LQMD model to better understand strange particle production in proton-induced reactions.

Findings

In-medium potentials enhance subthreshold antikaon production.

Strangeness production is suppressed in proton-induced reactions compared to heavy-ion collisions.

The model successfully explains measured K$^{-}$/K$^{+}$ ratios with in-medium effects.

Abstract

Dynamics of strange particles produced in proton induced nuclear reactions near threshold energies has been investigated within the Lanzhou quantum molecular dynamics (LQMD) transport model. The in-medium modifications on particle production in dense nuclear matter are considered through corrections on the elementary cross sections via the effective mass and the mean-field potentials. It is found that the attractive antikaon-nucleon potential enhances the subthreshold $\bar{K}$ production and also influences the structure of inclusive spectra. The strangeness production is strongly suppressed in proton induced reactions in comparison to heavy-ion collisions. The measured K$^{-}$/K$^{+}$ ratios in the $^{12}$C+$^{12}$C and p+$^{12}$C collisions from KaoS collaboration have been well explained with inclusion of the in-medium potentials.