An excitation function of K- and K+ production in AU + AU reactions at the AGS

  • L. Ahle
  • , Y. Akiba
  • , K. Ashktorab
  • , M. D. Baker
  • , D. Beavis
  • , B. Budick
  • , J. Chang
  • , C. Chasman
  • , Z. Chen
  • , Y. Y. Chu
  • , T. Chujo
  • , J. Cumming
  • , R. Debbe
  • , J. C. Dunlop
  • , W. Eldredge
  • , K. Fleming
  • , S. Y. Fung
  • , E. Garcia
  • , S. Gushue
  • , H. Hamagaki
  • R. Hayano, G. H. Heintzelman, J. H. Kang, E. J. Kim, A. Kumagai, K. Kurita, J. H. Lee, Y. K. Lee, Y. Miake, A. C. Mignerey, M. Moulson, C. Muentz, K. Nagano, C. A. Ogilvie, J. Olness, K. Oyama, L. Remsberg, H. Sako, R. Seto, J. Shea, K. Shigaki, S. G. Steadman, G. S.F. Stephans, T. Tamagawa, M. J. Tannenbaum, S. Ueno-Hayashi, F. Videbaek, H. Xiang, F. Wang, K. Yagi, F. Zhu, B. B. Back, R. R. Betts, W. C. Chang, C. Y. Chi, J. B. Cumming, S. Y. Fung, R. Ganz, A. Gillitzer, W. F. Henning, D. J. Hofman, B. Holzman, S. Y. Kim, Y. Kwon, D. McLeod, V. Nanal, R. Pak, A. Ruangma, D. Russ, P. J. Stanskas, H. Wang, F. L.H. Wolfs, A. H. Wuosmaa, G. H. Xu, H. B. Yao, C. M. Zou

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132 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mid-rapidity spectra and yields of K- and K+ have been measured for Au + Au collisions at 4, 6, 8, and 10.7 AGeV. The K- yield increases faster with beam energy than for K+ and hence the K-/K+ ratio increases with beam energy. This ratio is studied as a function of both √s and √s - √s(th) which allows the direct comparison of the kaon yields with respect to the production threshold in p + p reactions. For equal √s - √s(th) the measured ratio K-/K+ = 0.2 at energies above threshold in contrast to the K-/K+ ratio of near unity observed at energies below threshold. The use of the K-/K+ ratio to test the predicted changes of kaon properties in dense nuclear matter is discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)53-60
Number of pages8
JournalPhysics Letters B
Volume490
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - 28 Sep 2000
Externally publishedYes

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