Jets with strange particles produced by 25 GeV/c protons on protons

Abstract

132 jets with K-meson or hyperon produced by 25 GeV/ c protons have been analysed. The fraction of the baryon total energy going into production of mesons is 0.45 ± 0.03 in the proton-proton c.m. system. There is a strong correlation between total energy in the c.m. system and the number of charged prongs for hyperons but no correlation for mesons. The pion laboratory energy distribution is proportional to E lab −1.53±0.27 (between 1 and 5 GeV) and the hyperon distribution is proportional to E lab −0.94 ±0.15 (between 2 and 15 GeV). The K-meson energy distribution cannot be described by a simple power law. High-energy pions (above 8 GeV) are almost absent, indicating that there is no abundant production of nucleon excited states in the forward direction . The average number of pions in reactions with YK is 4.3 ± 0.6 and with K K is 3.7 ± 0.4. The results are discussed in terms of different theoretical models.