Study of the reaction pbar p -> phi phi from 1.1 to 2.0 GeV/c

TL;DR

This study investigates the pbar p -> phi phi reaction across 1.1 to 2.0 GeV/c, revealing a cross section that exceeds simple theoretical expectations and setting limits on potential resonance contributions.

Contribution

It provides detailed measurements of the phi phi production cross section and searches for resonance structures, offering new insights into pbar p interactions and meson production mechanisms.

Findings

Cross section rises sharply above threshold and then decreases with increasing momentum.

Measured cross section exceeds expectations from the OZI rule by two orders of magnitude.

No resonance structure observed around the xi/f_J(2230) mass; limits set on its double branching ratio.

Abstract

A study has been performed of the reaction pbar p -> 4K using in-flight antiprotons from 1.1 to 2.0 GeV/c incident momentum interacting with a hydrogen jet target. The reaction is dominated by the production of a pair of phi mesons. The pbar p -> phi phi cross section rises sharply above threshold and then falls continuously as a function of increasing antiproton momentum. The overall magnitude of the cross section exceeds expectations from a simple application of the OZI rule by two orders of magnitude. In a fine scan around the xi/f_J(2230) resonance, no structure is observed. A limit is set for the double branching ratio B(xi -> pbar p) * B(xi -> phi phi) < 6e-5 for a spin 2 resonance of M = 2.235 GeV and Width = 15 MeV.