Study of the exclusive reaction $pp \to pp K^{*0} \bar{K}^{*0}$: $f_{2}(1950)$ resonance versus diffractive continuum

TL;DR

This paper predicts cross sections and distributions for the exclusive $pp o pp K^{*0} ar{K}^{*0}$ reaction using a tensor-pomeron approach, analyzing the roles of $f_2(1950)$ resonance and continuum contributions, with implications for LHC experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a nonperturbative tensor-pomeron model to distinguish resonance and continuum mechanisms in exclusive $K^{*0} ar{K}^{*0}$ production, fitting parameters to experimental data.

Findings

Continuum contribution alone fits WA102 data well.

Predicted cross sections at LHC range from 17 to 250 nb.

Model includes absorption effects.

Abstract

We present first predictions of the cross sections and differential distributions for the exclusive reaction $pp \to pp K^{*0} \bar{K}^{*0}$ contributing to the $K^{+} K^{-} \pi^{+} \pi^{-}$ channel. The amplitudes for the reaction are formulated within the nonperturbative tensor-pomeron approach. We consider separately the $f_{2}(1950)$ $s$-channel exchange mechanism and the $K^{*0}$ $t/u$-channel exchange mechanism, focusing on their specificities. First mechanism is a candidate for the central diffractive production of tensor glueball and the second one is an irreducible continuum. We adjust parameters of our model, assuming the dominance of pomeron-pomeron fusion, to the WA102 experimental data. We find that including the continuum contribution alone one can describe the WA102 data reasonably well. We present predictions for the reaction $pp \to pp (K^{*0} \bar{K}^{*0} \to K^{+} K^{-} \pi^{+} \pi^{-})$ for the ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb experiments including typical kinematical cuts. We find from our model a cross sections of $\sigma \cong 17-250$ nb for the LHC experiments, depending on the assumed cuts. Absorption effects are included in our analysis.