Hadron production near threshold

Final state interaction effects inpp→ pΛK ⁺ andpd →³Heη reactions are explored near threshold to study the sensitivity of the cross-sections to thepΛ potential and theηN scattering matrix. The final state scattering wave functions between Λ andp andη and³He are described rigorously. The Λ production is described by the exchange of one pion and aK-meson between two protons in the incident channel. Theη production is described by a two-step model, where in the first step a pion is produced. This pion then produces anη by interacting with another nucleon     

ΛN Space-exchange effects in thes-shell hypernuclei and Λ 9 Be

Variational Monte Carlo calculations of the ground state separation energiesB _Λ of thes-shell hypernuclei and also of _Λ ⁹ Be have been made for an Urbana-type central space-exchange ΛN potential consistent with Λp scattering, and also including three-body ΛNN forces. Thes-shell hypernuclei are treated asA-body systems (A = baryon number), and _Λ ⁹ Be is analysed as a partially nine-body problem in the Λ — 2α model. The reduction ofB _Λ due to the space-exchange ΛN potential has been calculated for thes-shell hypernuclei for a range of interactions: both ΛN and ΛN + ΛNN forces. ForA = 3,4,5 the exchange energy is approximately, 0.04, 0.15 and 0.50 MeV, respectively. For _Λ ⁹ Be a much more limited study gives ≅ 1.3 MeV. These values are much larger than that for ‘soft’ ΛN +NN potentials when the correlations are weak. Preliminary results were presented at the DAE Symp. on ‘Nuclear Physics’ Vol. 32B (1989).     

Phenomenology of the Λ/Σproduction ratio in pp collisions

We show that the recently measured asymmetry in helicity-angle spectra of the Λ-hyperons, produced in the reaction pp → K ⁺Λp reaction, and the energy dependence of the total pp → K ⁺Λp cross-section can be explained consistently by the same Λp final-state interaction. Assuming that there is no final-state interaction in the Σ⁰ p channel, as suggested by the available data for the reaction pp → K ⁺Σ⁰ p, we can also reproduce the energy dependence of the Λ/Σ⁰ production ratio and, in particular, the rather large ratio observed near the reaction thresholds. The nominal ratio of the Λ and Σ⁰ production amplitudes squared, i.e. when disregarding the final-state interaction, turns out to be about 3, which is in line with hyperon production data from proton and nuclear targets available at high energies.     

Resonances and final-state interactions in the reaction pp → pK+Λ

A study of the strangeness production reaction pp → pK⁺Λ for excess energies of ε≤150MeV, accessible at high-luminosity accelerator facilities like COSY, is presented. Methods to analyze the Dalitz plot distribution and angular spectra in the Jackson and helicity frames are worked out and suitable observables for extracting information on low-lying resonances that couple to the KΛ system and for determining the Λp effective-range parameters from the final-state interaction are identified and discussed. Furthermore, the chances for identifying the reaction mechanism of strangeness production are investigated.     

ΛΛ 6 hypernucleus in α + 2Λ cluster model

The binding energy of the double hypernucleus _ΛΛ ⁶ is calculated in α + 2Λ cluster model using the method of translation invariant basis TIMO. As regards the required interaction potentials we use a density dependent effective ΛN force and a gaussian form for ΛΛ potential. With these interactions a very reasonable value ofB _ΛΛ is obtained if the oscillator states up to the excitation quantum numberN=12 are taken into account in the expansion of wavefunction of the hypernucleus. This value ofN is much smaller than that obtained in an earlier study. This lowering inN value is attributed to a much better choice of ΛN potential used in the present study.     

Structure of neutron-rich Λ hypernuclei

Properties of light neutron-rich Λ hypernuclei (¹⁶ _ΛC, ¹² _ΛBe, and ¹¹ _ΛLi) are calculated within the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach. Interplay between hypernuclear interaction features and properties of these hypernuclei is studied. Response of weakly bound neutron states to hyperon addition depends generally on core distortion by hyperon, and it is essentially different for the different states. This response is especially sensitive to details of the ΛN interaction for 1p _1/2 states. Implications of the nuclear spin-orbit potential and nuclear incompressibility in the neutron-rich system properties are inferred. Dependence of the Λ binding energies in hypernuclei on Z at fixed A is discussed. Received: 16 December 1998     

Zeros of the helicity amplitudes of Σ−-p and Λ-p elastic scattering

The forces of interaction as reflected in the cosθ plane analytic structures of the helicity amplitudes of Σ⁻-p and Λ-p scattering are optimally exploited using the conformal mapping technique of Cutkosky and coworkers. A suitable parametrization of these amplitudes in the mapped variable is then chosen so that it can see the zeros better. These zeros are then located by making a good fit to the differential scattering cross-section curves. The effect of these zeros upon the cross-sections is discussed. Values for the phase shifts and coupling parameters between channels of fixedJ values are also computed.     

The reaction pp→pΛK + near threshold

We analyze the recent total cross section data for pp→pΛK ⁺ near threshold measured at COSY. Using an effective range approximation for the on-shell pΛ S-wave final state interaction we extract from these data the combination ?= (2|K _s|²+|K _t|²)^−1/2= 0.38 fm⁴ of the singlet (K _s) and triplet (K _t) threshold transition amplitudes. We present an exploratory calculation of various (tree-level) vector and pseudoscalar meson exchange diagrams. Pointlike ω-exchange alone and the combined (ρ⁰,ω,K^*+)-exchange can explain the experimental value of ?. The pseudoscalar meson exchanges based on a SU(3) chiral Lagrangian turn out to be too large. However, when adding π⁰-exchange in combination with the resonant πN→S ₁₁(1650) →KΛ transition and introducing monopole form factors with a cut-off Λ_c= 1.5 GeV one is again able to reproduce the experimental value of ?. More exclusive measurements are necessary to reveal the details of the pp→pΛK ⁺ production mechanism. Received: 28 October 1998 / Revised version: 12 January 1999     

Λp femtoscopy in collisions of Ar + KCl at 1.76 A GeV with HADES

Results on Λp femtoscopy are reported at the lowest energy so far. At a beam energy of 1.76.A GeV, the reaction Ar + KCl was studied with HADES at SIS18/GSI. A high-statistics and high-purity Λ sample was collected, allowing for the investigation of Λp correlations at small relative momenta. The experimental correlation function is compared to corresponding model calculations allowing the determination of the space-time extent of the Λp emission source. The Λp radius is found significantly smaller than that for Au + Au/Pb + Pb collisions in the AGS, SPS and RHIC energy domains, but larger than that for electroproduction from He. Taking into account all available data, we find the Λp source radius to increase almost linearly with the number of participants to the power of one-third.     

The search for and study of the strange multibaryon states in systems with Λ-hyperon and Ks0 -meson in pA collision at momentum of 10 GeV/c

Exotic strange multibaryon states have been observed in the effective mass spectra of: Λπ^±, Λπ⁺π⁻, Λp, Λpp, Λπp, ΛΛ and ΛK _s ⁰, K _s ⁰ p, K _s ⁰π^± subsystems. The measured Λ/π⁺ ratio for average multiplicities from the pC reaction is equal to (5.3 ± 0.8) × 10⁻², and it is approximately two times larger than the Λ/π⁺ ratio simulated by the FRITIOF model and than that of experimental pp reactions at the same energy. The observed wellknown resonances Σ*⁺ (1385) and K*^± (892) from PDG are good tests of this method. The mean value of the mass for the Σ*⁻(1385) resonance is shifted to 1370 MeV/c ² and the width is two times larger than the same value from PDG. Such kind of behavior for the width and invariant mass of Σ*⁻ (1385) resonance is interpreted as an extensive contribution from stopped Ξ⁻ → Λπ⁻ and medium effect. There is enhancement of the production contribution for all observed hyperons. A few events were registered by hypothesis of light H ⁰ and heavy H ^{0, +} dihyperons. Dihyperons were observed by weak decay channels: (Σ⁻ p), (Λpπ⁻), (Λpπ⁰), and (K ⁻ pp). The text was submitted by the author in English.     

Cluster model of s- and p-shell ΛΛ hypernuclei

The ΛΛ binding energy (B _ΛΛ) of the s- and p-shell hypernuclei are calculated variationally in the cluster model and multidimensional integrations are performed using Monte Carlo. A variety of phenomenological Λ-core potentials consistent with the Λ-core energies and a wide range of simulated s-state ΛΛ potentials are taken as input. The B _ΛΛ of _ΛΛ⁶He is explained and _ΛΛ⁵He and _ΛΛ⁵H are predicted to be particle stable in the ΛΛ-core model. The results for s-shell hypernuclei are in excellent agreement with those of non-VMC calculations. The _ΛΛ¹⁰Be in ΛΛαα model is overbound for combinations of ΛΛ and Λα potentials. A phenomenological dispersive three-body force, V _Λαα, consistent with the B _Λ of _Λ⁹Be in the Λαα model underbinds _ΛΛ¹⁰Be. The incremental ΔB _ΛΛ values for the s- and p-shell cannot be reconciled, consistent with the finding of earlier analyses.      

The radiative decay of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Λ</Emphasis>(1405) and its two-pole structure

We evaluate theoretically the radiative decay widths into γΛ and γΣ ⁰ of the two poles of the Λ(1405) found in chiral unitary theories and we find quite different results for each of the two poles. We show that, depending on which reaction is used to measure the Λ(1405) radiative decays, one gives more weight to one or the other pole, resulting in quite different shapes in the γΛ(Σ ⁰) invariant-mass distributions. Our results for the high-energy pole agree with those of the empirical determination of the γΛ and γΣ ⁰ radiative widths (based on an isobar model fitting of the K^-p atom data), which are sometimes referred to as “experimental data”. We have made a detailed study of the K ^- p→π ⁰ γΛ(Σ ⁰) and π ^- p→K ⁰ γΛ(Σ ⁰) reactions and have shown that they, indeed, lead to different shapes for the γΛ(Σ ⁰) invariant-mass distributions.     

Decay asymmetry in non-mesonic weak decay of light Λ -hypernuclei

The proton decay asymmetry, α^NM _p , of the polarized Λ -hypernuclei, ⁵ _ΛHe , ¹² _ΛC and ¹¹ _ΛB , has been investigated to understand the reaction mechanism of the non-mesonic weak-decay process. These Λ -hypernuclei were produced in the highest statistics ever via the (π⁺, K ⁺) reaction at 1.05GeV/c by using the SKS spectrometer at KEK 12GeV PS. The results show that the α^NM _p are very small for these s -shell and p -shell hypernuclei.     

Hyperon production at COSY-TOF

The strangeness production program at the COSY-TOF experiment is discussed. The apparatus is shown emphasizing the technique to measure delayed decays. Results obtained for the reactions pp→K ⁺ Λp and pp→K ⁰ Σ ⁺ p are discussed.     

Conventional view versus FINUDA claims of a deeply bound K<Superscript>-</Superscript>pp state

We critically revise the recent claims of a deeply bound K^-pp state associated to a peak seen in the Λp invariant-mass spectrum following nuclear K^- absorption reactions measured by the FINUDA Collaboration. An explicit theoretical simulation shows that the peak is simply generated from a two-nucleon absorption process, like K ^- pp→Λp, followed by final-state interactions of the produced particles with the residual nucleus.     

Search for missing baryon resonances via associated strangeness photoproduction

Differential cross-section and single polarization observables in the process γp→K ⁺ Λ are investigated within a constituent-quark model and a dynamical coupled-channel formalism. The effects of two new nucleon resonances and of the K ^*(892)- and K1(1270)-exchanges are briefly presented.     

Perfect fluid bianchi Type-I cosmological models with time varying <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis> and Λ

Bianchi Type-I cosmological models containing perfect fluid with time varying G and Λ have been presented. The solutions obtained represent an expansion scalar θ bearing a constant ratio to the anisotropy in the direction of space-like unit vector λ ⁱ . Of the two models obtained, one has negative vacuum energy density, which decays numerically. In this model, we obtain Λ ∼ H ², Λ ∼ R ₄₄/R and Λ ∼ T ⁻² (T is the cosmic time) which is in accordance with the main dynamical laws for the decay of Λ. The second model reduces to a static solution with repulsive gravity.      

Testing the nature of the Λ(1520)-resonance in proton-induced production

The Λ(1520)-resonance has been recently studied in a unitarized coupled-channel formalism with πΣ(1385), KΞ(1530), ˉN and πΣ as constituents blocks. We provide a theoretical study of the predictions of this model in physical observables of the pp → pK⁺K^-p and pp → pK⁺π⁰π⁰Λ reactions. In particular, we show that the ratio between the π⁰π⁰Λ and K^-p mass distributions can provide valuable information on the ratio of the couplings of the Λ(1520)-resonance to πΣ(1385) and ˉN than the theory predicts. Calculations are done for energies which are accessible in an experimental facility like COSY at Jülich or the developing CSR facility at Lanzhou.     

The quenching of nucleon yields in the nonmesonic weak decay of Λ -hypernuclei and the three-body weak decay process

Recent exclusive coincidence measurements of non-mesonic weak decays (NMWD) reported for the ratio of the partial decay width of neutron-induced-to-proton-induced NMWD, Γ_n/Γ_p , values of 0.45±0.11±0.03 and 0.51±0.13±0.04 for 5lam and ¹² _Λ C , respectively. These observations agree well with the improved theoretical Γ_n/Γ_p ratios which are in the range of 0.3-0.7. It appears that the long-standing discrepancy between the experimental and theoretical values of Γ_n/Γ_p has finally been solved. However, when compared to the results of intra-nuclear cascade (INC) calculations, the observed numbers of both single nucleons and coincident nucleon pairs are strongly quenched. The quenching of the proton yield observed previously has been interpreted as an increase of the Γ_n/Γ_p ratio. On the other hand, significant contributions from the two-nucleon-induced three-body process ΛNN → nNN are predicted. Indeed, the angular correlation of the emitted nucleon pairs in the NMWD of ¹² _Λ C showed not only decay events in back-to-back kinematics, but also events with non-back-to-back kinematics. In this paper we show that the difficulties to extract the correct Γ_n/Γ_p ratio from the proton spectra is related to the three-body weak-interaction process which strongly quenches the nucleon yields.