First measurement of $\mathrm{D_{s1}}(1^{+})(2536)^+$ and $\mathrm{D_{s2}^{*}(2^{+})(2573)^+}$ production in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper reports the first measurement of the production yields of orbitally excited charm-strange mesons in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV, providing data to improve theoretical models of hadron production.

Contribution

It presents the first measurement of $ ext{D}_{s1}(2536)^+$ and $ ext{D}_{s2}^*(2573)^+$ production yields in pp collisions at 13 TeV, comparing them with models and previous experiments.

Findings

Yields are consistent across collision types and with previous measurements.

Yield ratios match statistical hadronization model predictions.

Results can help tune Monte Carlo event generators.

Abstract

The production yields of the orbitally excited charm-strange mesons $\mathrm{D_{s1}(1^{+})(2536)^+}$ and $\mathrm{D_{s2}^{*}(2^{+})(2573)^+}$were measured for the first time in proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The $\mathrm{D_{s1}^+}$ and $\mathrm{D_{s2}^{*+}}$ mesons were measured at midrapidity ($|y|<0.5$) in minimum-bias and high-multiplicity pp collisions in the transverse-momentum interval $2<p_{\rm T}<24$ GeV/$c$. Their production yields relative to the $\mathrm{D_{s}^{+}}$ ground-state yield were found to be compatible between minimum-bias and high-multiplicity collisions, as well as with previous measurements in ${\rm e}^{\pm}$p and ${\rm e^+ e^-}$ collisions. The measured $\mathrm{D_{s1}^+/D_{s}^{+}}$ and $\mathrm{D_{s2}^{*+}/D_{s}^{+}}$ yield ratios are described by statistical hadronization models and can be used to tune the parameters governing the production of excited charm-strange hadrons in Monte Carlo generators, such as PYTHIA 8.