A study of the centrally produced K*K* and phi omega systems in pp interactions at 450 GeV/c

TL;DR

This paper investigates the production mechanisms and quantum numbers of K*K* and phi omega systems in proton-proton collisions at 450 GeV/c, providing evidence for their production via double Pomeron exchange and insights into their nature.

Contribution

It presents experimental evidence for the production channels and quantum states of K*K* and phi omega systems, highlighting their production mechanisms and potential glueball characteristics.

Findings

K*K* system has a broad mass spectrum with a maximum near threshold.

The angular analysis indicates JP = 2+ for the K*K* system.

The production behavior suggests double Pomeron exchange as the mechanism.

Abstract

A study of the reactions pp -> pfps(K+K-pi+pi-) and pp -> pfps(K+K-pi+pi-pi0) shows evidence for the K*K* and phi omega channels respectively. The K*K* mass spectrum shows a broad distribution with a maximum near threshold and an angular analysis shows that it is compatible with having JP = 2+. The behaviour of the cross-section as a function of centre of mass energy, and the four momentum transfer dependence, are compatible with what would be expected if the K*K* system was produced via double Pomeron exchange. The dPT behaviour of the phi omega channel is similar to what has been observed for all the undisputed qqbar states. In contrast, the dPT behaviour of the K*K* final state is similar to what has been observed for the phi phi final state and for previously observed glueball candidates.