Self-similarity of strangeness production in pp collisions at RHIC

Abstract

New experimental data on transverse momentum spectra of strange particles (K0S,K–, K*, ϕ, …) produced in pp collisions at √s = 200 GeV obtained by the STAR and PHENIX collaborations at RHIC are analysed in the framework of z-scaling approach. Scaling properties of the data z-presentation are illustrated. Self-similarity of strange particle production is discussed. A microscopic scenario of constituent interactions developed within the z-scaling approach is used to study constituent energy loss, proton momentum fraction and recoil mass in dependence on the transverse momentum, strangeness, and mass of the inclusive particle. The obtained results can be useful for understanding strangeness origin, for searching for new physics with strange probes and can serve as a benchmark for complex analyses of self-similar features of strange production in heavy ion collisions.