φ-meson production in the reactionpp↑→pK+K−pat 11.75 GeV/c

Abstract

15 000 events of the reaction $p_{\ensuremath{\uparrow}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p{K}^{+}{K}^{\ensuremath{-}}p$ were obtained at 11.75 GeV/c using the Zero Gradient Synchrotron polarized proton beam and the Effective Mass Spectrometer. This event sample includes 1500 events of $p_{\ensuremath{\uparrow}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p\ensuremath{\varphi}p$. The characteristics of $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ production are examined. The $t$ distribution is found to be quite shallow (exponential slope parameter 3.3 Ge${\mathrm{V}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$). The cross section for $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ production is compared to that for $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p\ensuremath{\omega}p$ measured in the same apparatus. A ratio of $\frac{\ensuremath{\varphi}}{\ensuremath{\omega}}$ cross sections of 0.010\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002 is found, substantially larger than the value of 0.002 predicted by the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule. Upper limits are set for the production of narrow states, possibly of a $\mathrm{qqqq}\overline{q}$ quark composition, decaying into $\ensuremath{\varphi}p$, ${K}^{+}{K}^{\ensuremath{-}}p$, or ${K}^{+}{Y}^{*}(1520)$.