Production of K$^{*}$(892)$^{0}$ and $ϕ$(1020) in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV

Abstract

The production of K$^{*}$(892)$^{0}$ and $ϕ$(1020) in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV was measured by the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The yields and the transverse momentum spectra d$^{2}$N/d$y$d$p_{\rm T}$ at midrapidity $|y|<0.5$ in the range $0<p_{\rm T}<6$ GeV/$c$ for K$^{*}$(892)$^{0}$ and $0.4<p_{\rm T}<6$ GeV/$c$ for $ϕ$(1020) are reported and compared to model predictions. Using the yield of pions, kaons, and Omega baryons measured previously by ALICE at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV, the ratios K$^{*}$/K$^{-}$, $ϕ$/K$^{*}$, $ϕ$/K$^{-}$, $ϕ/π^{-}$, and ($Ω$ + $\overlineΩ$)/$ϕ$ are presented. The values of the K$^{*}$/K$^{-}$, $ϕ$/K$^{*}$ and $ϕ$/K$^{-}$ ratios are similar to those found at lower centre-of-mass energies. In contrast, the $ϕ/π^{-}$ ratio, which has been observed to increase with energy, seems to saturate above 200 GeV. The ($Ω$ + $\overlineΩ$)/$ϕ$ ratio in the $p_{\rm T}$ range $1$-$5$ GeV/$c$ is found to be in good agreement with the prediction of the HIJING/BB v2.0 model with a strong colour field.

28 pages, 12 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 23, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/3101