Study of the exclusive reaction pp → ppK*0(K)over-bar*0:f 2 (1950) resonance versus diffractive continuum

We present first predictions of the cross sections and differential distributions for the exclusive reaction pp -> ppK*(0)(K) over bar*(0) contributing to the K+K-pi(+)pi(-) channel. The amplitudes for the reaction are formulated within the nonperturbative tensor-Pomeron approach. We consider separately the f (2) (1950) s-channel exchange mechanism and the K*(0) t/u-channel exchange mechanism, focusing on their specificities. First mechanism is a candidate for the central diffractive production of tensor glueball and the second one is an irreducible continuum. We adjust parameters of our model, assuming the dominance of Pomeron-Pomeron fusion, to the WA102 experimental data. We find that including the continuum contribution alone one can describe the WA102 data reasonably well. We present predictions for the reaction pp -> pp(K*(0)(K) over bar*(0) -> K+K-pi(+)pi(-)) for the ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb experiments including typical kinematical cuts. We find from our model a cross sections of sigma congruent to 17-250 nb for the LHC experiments, depending on the assumed cuts. Absorption effects are included in our analysis.

Automated summary

The study presents predictions for the exclusive reaction pp -> ppK*(0)(K) over bar*(0) contributing to the K+K-pi(+)pi(-) channel, with amplitudes formulated within the nonperturbative tensor-Pomeron approach. The analysis considers different exchange mechanisms and focuses on their specifics, with one mechanism being a candidate for central diffractive production of tensor glueball while the other is an irreducible continuum. The model finds good agreement with experimental data and predicts cross sections for LHC experiments ranging from 17-250 nb, depending on assumed cuts, with absorption effects taken into account.