Cascade and anti-Cascade Polarization Measurements at 800 GeV/c

TL;DR

This paper reports measurements of polarization for neutral Cascade and anti-Cascade hyperons produced at 800 GeV/c, finding a consistent polarization for Cascade and zero for anti-Cascade, with analysis of momentum dependence.

Contribution

First measurement of anti-Cascade polarization at 800 GeV/c and comparison with previous Cascade polarization results.

Findings

Cascade polarization is about 9.7%, consistent across energies.

Anti-Cascade polarization is measured to be zero.

Polarization shows dependence on transverse momentum.

Abstract

The polarization of neutral Cascade and anti-Cascade hyperons produced by 800 GeV/c protons on a BeO target at a fixed targeting angle of 4.8 mrad is measured by the KTeV experiment at Fermilab. Our result of 9.7% for the neutral Cascade polarization shows no significant energy dependence when compared to a result obtained at 400 GeV/c production energy and at twice our targeting angle. The polarization of the neutral anti-Cascade is measured for the first time and found to be consistent with zero. We also examine the dependence of polarization on transverse production momentum.