Investigation of neutral-kaon production in pC,pSi and pPb Collisions at 70 GeV/c

The results obtained by measuring the inclusive distributions of the Feynman variable x _F and the transversemomentum for the production of K _S ⁰ mesons in proton-nucleus interactions at 70 GeV/c for three targets (C, Si, and Pb) are presented. The mass-number (A) dependence of the cross section for K _S ⁰ -meson production is studied. The measured value of the exponent α in the formula σ ～ A ^α agrees within the errors with its counterpart at higher energies. With the aid of the A dependence, the measured yield of K _S ⁰ mesons at x _F = 0 is compared with the yield of K ⁺ and K ^? mesons in the proton-proton reaction at 70 GeV/c. The inclusive spectra of longitudinal and transverse variables for K _S ⁰ -meson production are contrasted against the predictions of the FRITIOF and UrQMD models.