Feasibility of studying the K$^*_0(700)$ resonance using $\pi^{\rm \pm}$K$^0_{\rm S}$ femtoscopy

TL;DR

This study explores the potential of femtoscopy techniques to detect the K$^*_0(700)$ resonance, a broad and elusive state possibly indicating tetraquark structure, by analyzing $ ext{π}^{ ext{±}} ext{K}^0_{ ext{S}}$ correlations in high-energy collisions.

Contribution

It proposes a novel femtoscopic approach to study the K$^*_0(700)$ resonance and assesses the feasibility of distinguishing its signal from background in experimental data.

Findings

Correlation functions indicate measurable final-state interactions.

Potential to differentiate diquark and tetraquark signatures.

Feasibility depends on collision environment and analysis precision.

Abstract

The feasibility of using $\pi^{\rm \pm}$K$^0_{\rm S}$ femtoscopy to experimentally study the K$^*_0(700)$ resonance is considered. The K$^*_0(700)$ resonance is challenging to study due to its broad width and proximity in mass to the K$^*(892)$, both of which predominantly decay via the $\pi$K channel. One of the main interests in the K$^*_0(700)$ is that it is considered a candidate for a tetraquark state. It is proposed to use two-particle femtoscopic methods with $\pi^{\rm \pm}$K$^0_{\rm S}$ pairs produced in proton-proton and heavy ion collisions assuming a strong final-state interaction between them due to elastic scattering and/or via the K$^*_0(700)$ resonance. Calculations of $\pi^{\rm \pm}$K$^0_{\rm S}$ correlation functions are made to estimate the strength of these final-state interactions and to see if this signal can be adequately separated from the K$^*(892)$ background. A possible signature of diquark versus tetraquark behavior of the K$^*_0(700)$ final-state interaction is also discussed.