Central exclusive production of $K^{+}K^{-}$ pairs in proton-proton collisions

TL;DR

This paper models the central exclusive production of $K^{+}K^{-}$ pairs in proton-proton collisions using a tensor-pomeron approach, including resonances, continuum, and photoproduction, and compares results with experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive tensor-pomeron model for exclusive meson pair production, incorporating various resonances, continuum, and photoproduction mechanisms, and provides predictions for LHC experiments.

Findings

Good agreement with CDF data on invariant mass distributions

Predictions for LHC measurements of meson pair production

Analysis of resonance and continuum interference effects

Abstract

We discuss central exclusive diffractive production of light mesons in the reactions $pp \to pp\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ and $pp \to ppK^{+}K^{-}$. The calculation is based on a tensor-pomeron approach. We include a purely diffractive dipion continuum, and the scalar $f_{0}(980)$, $f_{0}(1500)$, $f_{0}(1710)$ and tensor $f_{2}(1270)$, $f'_{2}(1525)$ resonances decaying into pseudoscalar meson pairs. We include also photoproduction mechanisms for the nonresonant (Drell-S\"oding) and the $\phi(1020)$ resonance contributions. The theoretical results are compared with existing CDF experimental data and predictions for being carried out LHC experiments are presented. The distributions in dimeson invariant mass and in a special "glueball filter variable" including the interference effects of resonance and dimeson continuum are presented.