Exclusive open strangeness production in the pp→ppK+K−pp \to pp K^{+} K^{-} reaction at high energies and a measurement of scalar χc0\chi_{c0} meson

We discuss the results of exclusive $p p \to p p K^{+} K^{-}$ reaction at high energies which constitutes an irreducible background to three-body processes $p p \to p p M$, where $M=\phi$, $f_{2}(1275)$, $f_{0}(1500)$, $f_{2}'(1525)$, $\chi_{c0}$. We consider central diffractive contribution mediated by Pomeron and Reggeon exchanges including absorption effects due to proton-proton interaction and kaon-kaon rescattering. We make predictions for future experiments at RHIC, Tevatron and LHC. Differential distributions in invariant two-kaon mass, kaon rapidities and transverse momenta of kaons are presented. We discuss a measurement of exclusive production of scalar $\chi_{c0}$ meson in the proton-(anti)proton collisions via $\chi_{c0} \to K^{+}K^{-}$ decay. The corresponding amplitude for exclusive central diffractive $\chi_{c0}$ meson production is calculated within the $k_{t}$-factorization approach.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, talk presented at the Strangeness in Quark Matter 2011 Conference, Sept. 18--24, Cracow, Polan

The role of meson exchanges in light-by-light scattering

We discuss the role of meson exchange mechanisms in $\gamma \gamma \to \gamma \gamma$ scattering. Several pseudoscalar ($\pi^0$, $\eta$, $\eta'(958)$, $\eta_c(1S)$, $\eta_c(2S)$), scalar ($f_{0}(500)$, $f_0(980)$, $a_0(980)$, $f_0(1370)$, $\chi_{c0}(1P)$) and tensor ($f_2(1270)$, $a_2(1320)$, $f_2'(1525)$, $f_2(1565)$, $a_2(1700)$) mesons are taken into account. We consider not only $s$-channel but also for the first time $t$- and $u$-channel meson exchange amplitudes corrected for off-shell effects including vertex form factors. We find that, depending on not well known vertex form factors, the meson exchange amplitudes interfere among themselves and could interfere with fermion-box amplitudes and modify the resulting cross sections. The meson contributions are shown as a function of collision energy as well as angular distributions are presented. Interesting interference effects separately for light pseudoscalar, scalar and tensor meson groups are discussed. The meson exchange contributions may be potentially important in the context of a measurement performed recently in ultraperipheral collisions of heavy ions by the ATLAS collaboration. The light-by-light interactions could be studied in future in electron-positron collisions by the Belle II at SuperKEKB accelerator.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl

Exclusive production of pi+ pi- pairs in proton-proton and proton-antiproton collisions

We report on a detailed investigation of four-body $p p \to p p \pi^+ \pi^-$ and $p \bar{p} \to p \bar{p} \pi^+ \pi^-$) reactions which constitute an irreducible background to three-body processes $p p \to p p M$, where $M$ is a broad resonance in the $\pi^+ \pi^-$ channel, e.g. $M=\sigma, \rho^{0}, f_{0}(980), f_{2}(1275), f_{0}(1500)$. We include double-diffractive contribution (both pomeron and reggeon exchanges) as well as the pion-pion rescattering contributions. The first process dominates at higher energies and small pion-pion invariant masses while the second becomes important at lower energies and higher pion-pion invariant masses. We compare our results with the experimental data. We make predictions for future experiments at PANDA, RHIC, Tevatron and LHC energies. The two-dimensional distribution in rapidity space of pions $(y_{\pi^+}, y_{\pi^-})$ is particularly interesting. The higher the incident energy, the higher preference for the same-hemisphere emission of pions. The processes considered constitute a sizeable contribution to the total nucleon-nucleon cross section as well as to pion inclusive cross section.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, talk given at MESON2010 conference, Krakow, Poland, 10-15 June 201

Central exclusive diffractive production of ppˉp \bar{p} pairs in proton-proton collisions at high energies

We consider the central exclusive production of the $p\bar{p}$ in the continuum and via resonances in proton-proton collisions at high energies. We discuss the diffractive mechanism calculated within the tensor-pomeron approach including pomeron, odderon, and reggeon exchanges. The theoretical results are discussed in the context of existing WA102 and ISR experimental data and predictions for planned or current experiments at the RHIC and the LHC are presented. The distribution in ${\rm y}_{diff}$, the rapidity distance between proton and antiproton, is particularly interesting. We find a dip at ${\rm y}_{diff} = 0$ for the $p \bar{p}$ production, in contrast to the $\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ and $K^{+}K^{-}$ production. We predict also the $p \bar{p}$ invariant mass distribution to be less steep than for the pairs of pseudoscalar mesons. We argue that these specific differences for the $p \bar{p}$ production with respect to the pseudoscalar meson pair production can be attributed to the proper treatment of the spin of produced particles. We discuss asymmetries that are due to the interference of $C=+1$ and $C=-1$ amplitudes of $p \bar{p}$ production. We have also calculated the cross section for the $pp \to pp \Lambda \overline{\Lambda}$ reaction. Here, the cross section is smaller but the characteristic feature for $d\sigma/d{\rm y}_{diff}$ is predicted to be similar to $p \bar{p}$ production. The presence of resonances in the $p \bar p$ channel may destroy the dip at ${\rm y}_{diff} = 0$. This opens the possibility to study diffractively produced resonances. We discuss the observables suited for this purpose.Comment: 26 pages, 10 figures, added discussion on possible odderon effect, figures and appendix, v2 reflects that accepted for publication in PR