The role of N* resonances in the K+p → K+K+Λ reaction

Abstract

In this work, we investigate the reaction K+p → K+K+Λ for K+ beam momentum from threshold to 8 GeV within an effective Lagrangian approach where the contributions to the amplitudes are taken into account within the plane wave approximation. By assuming that this reaction is dominated by the excitation of nucleon resonances through ρ, ω, σ and Λ exchanges between initial states, we consider the excitation of the N*(1650), N*(1710) and N*(1720) resonances in the intermediate states. Available experimental data is described well by this approach. It is found that the Λ exchange diagram dominates the production process at lower beam energies and the ρ exchange diagram becomes more important at higher energies. The excitation of N*(1710) resonance dominates this reaction in the whole energy regime. Furthermore, we also give predictions of invariant mass spectrum, Dalitz plot and angular distribution of final particles with beam momentum at p = 2.3 GeV and p = 6.0 GeV respectively, which should be useful for future experimental studies of this reaction.