How well does NLO pQCD describe strangeness in $p+p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$= 200 GeV in STAR?

TL;DR

This paper measures strange particle spectra in proton-proton collisions at 200 GeV and compares the results to NLO pQCD calculations, finding good agreement for certain particles and momentum ranges.

Contribution

First detailed measurement of strange hadron spectra in p+p collisions at 200 GeV with comparison to NLO pQCD predictions.

Findings

Spectra for K0s and Lambda agree with NLO pQCD above 1.5 GeV/c.

Yields and average pT are consistent with previous experiments.

Statistical errors are reduced compared to earlier data.

Abstract

We present measurements of the transverse momentum spectra for $\mathrm{K^{0}_{S}}$, $\Lambda$, $\Xi$ and their antiparticles in p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200 GeV$. The extracted mid-rapidity yields and $<\mathrm{p_{T}}>$ are in agreement with previous $p+\bar{p}$ experiments while they have smaller statistical errors. We compare the measured spectra for $\mathrm{K^{0}_{S}}$ and $\Lambda$ to the latest available calculations from NLO pQCD and see good agreement for the $\mathrm{K^{0}_{S}}$ above 1.5 GeV/c.