f0(980) production in inelastic pp collisions at √s=5.02 TeV

作者：Acharya, S.; Adamova, D.; Adler, A.; Rinella, G. Aglieri; Agnello, M.; Agrawal, N.; Ahammed, Z.; Ahmad, S.; Ahn, S. U.; Ahuja, I.; Akindinov, A.; Al-Turany, M.; Aleksandrov, D.; Alessandro, B.; Alfanda, H. M.; Molina, R. Alfaro; Ali, B.; Alici, A.; Alizadehvandchali, N.; Alkin, A.; Alme, J.; Alocco, G.; Alt, T.; Altsybeev, I.; Anaam, M. N.; Andrei, C.; Andronic, A.; Anguelov, V.; Antinori, F.; Antonioli, P.; Apadula, N.; Aphecetche, L.; Appelshaeuser, H.; Arata, C.; Arcelli, S.; Aresti, M.

来源：Physics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics , 2023, 846: 137644.

DOI：10.1016/j.physletb.2022.137644

• SUPERDENSE HADRONIC MATTER
• PARTICLE-PRODUCTION
• RADIATIVE DECAYS
• SCALAR MESONS
• MODEL
• QCD
• PHI
• PHYSICS

The measurement of the production of f(0)(980) in inelastic pp collisions at root s= 5.02TeV is presented. This is the first reported measurement of inclusive f(0)(980) yield at LHC energies. The production is measured at midrapidity, vertical bar y vertical bar< 0.5, in a wide transverse momentum range, 0< p(T)< 16GeV/c, by reconstructing the resonance in the f(0)(980) -> pi(+) pi(-) hadronic decay channel using the ALICE detector. The p(T)-differential yields are compared to those of pions, protons and phi mesons as well as to predictions from the HERWIG7.2 QCD-inspired Monte Carlo event generator and calculations from a coalescence model that uses the AMPT model as an input. The ratio of the p(T)-integrated yield of f(0)(980) relative to pions is compared to measurements in e(+) e(-) and pp collisions at lower energies and predictions from statistical hadronisation models and HERWIG7.2. A mild collision energy dependence of the f(0)(980) to pion production is observed in pp collisions from SPS to LHC energies. All considered models underpredict the p(T)-integrated 2f(0)(980)/(pi(+)+pi(-)) ratio. The prediction from the canonical statistical hadronisation model assuming a zero total strangeness content of f(0)(980) is consistent with the data within 1.9 s and is the closest to the data. The results provide an essential reference for future measurements of the particle yield and nuclear modification in p-Pb and Pb-Pb collisions, which have been proposed to be instrumental to probe the elusive nature and quark composition of the f(0)(980) scalar meson.