Formation of double-Λ hypemuclei at PANDA

We study the formation of single- and double-Lambda hypernuclei in antiproton-induced reactions relevant for the forthcoming PANDA experiment at FAIR. We use the Giessen Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (GiBUU) transport model with relativistic mean-fields for the description of non-equilibrium dynamics and the statistical multifragmentation model (SMM) for fragment formation. This combined approach describes the dynamical properties of strangeness and fragments in low energy (p) over bar -induced reactions fairly well. We then focus on the formation of double-Lambda hypernuclei in high energy (p) over bar -nucleus collisions on a primary target including the complementary Xi-induced reactions to a secondary one, as proposed by the PANDA Collaboration. Our results show that a copious production of double-Lambda hyperfragments is possible at PANDA. In particular, we provide first theoretical estimations on the double-Lambda production cross section, which strongly rises with decreasing energy of the secondary Xi-beam. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.