On the absorption and production cross sections of $K$ and $K^*$

Abstract

We have computed the isospin and spin averaged cross sections of the processes $πK^*\to ρK$ and $ρK^*\to πK$, which are crucial in the determination of the abundances of $K^*$ and $K$ in heavy ion collisions. Improving previous calculations, we have considered several mechanisms which were missing, such as the exchange of axial and vector resonances ($K_1(1270)$, $K^*_2(1430)$, $h_1(1170)$, etc...) and also other processes such as $πK^*\to ωK, ϕK$ and $ωK^*,\,ϕK^*\to πK$. We find that some of these mechanisms give important contributions to the cross section. Our results also suggest that, in a hadron gas, $K^*$ production might be more important than its absorption.