Exclusive π+π−\pi^+\pi^- Production at the LHC with Forward Proton Tagging

A process of Central Exclusive $\pi^+\pi^-$ production in proton-proton collisions and its theoretical description is presented. A possibility of its measurement, during the special low luminosity LHC runs, with the help of the ATLAS central detector for measuring pions and the ALFA stations for tagging the scattered protons is studied. A visible cross section is estimated to be 21 $\mu$b for $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV, which gives over 2000 events for 100 $\mu$b$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. Differential distributions in pion pseudorapidities, pion and proton transverse momenta as well as $\pi^+\pi^-$ invariant mass are shown and discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Measurement of exclusive production of scalar χc0\chi_{c0} meson in proton-(anti)proton collisions via χc0→π+π−\chi_{c0} \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-} decay

We consider a measurement of exclusive production of scalar $\chi_{c}(0^{++})$ meson in the proton-proton collisions at LHC and RHIC and in the proton-antiproton collisions at the Tevatron via $\chi_{c0} \to \pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ decay. The corresponding amplitude for exclusive double-diffractive $\chi_{c0}$ meson production was obtained within the $k_{t}$-factorization approach including virtualities of active gluons and the corresponding cross section is calculated with unintegrated gluon distribution functions (UGDFs) known from the literature. The four-body $p p \to p p \pi^+ \pi^-$ reaction constitutes an irreducible background to the exclusive $\chi_{c0}$ meson production. We calculate several differential distributions for $pp(\bar{p}) \to pp(\bar{p})\chi_{c0}$ process including absorptive corrections. The influence of kinematical cuts on the signal-to-background ratio is investigated. Corresponding experimental consequences are discussed.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, 2 table

pp→ppK+K−pp \to pp K^{+}K^{-} reaction at high energies

We evaluate differential distributions for the four-body $p p \to p p K^{+} K^{-}$ 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 as well as completely new mechanism of emission of kaons from the proton lines. We include absorption effects due to proton-proton interaction and kaon-kaon rescattering. We compare our results with measured cross sections for the CERN ISR experiment. 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. Two-dimensional distribution in $(y_{K^+}, y_{K^-})$ is particularly interesting. The higher the incident energy, the higher preference for the same-hemisphere emission of kaons. We find that the kaons from the new mechanism of emission directly from proton lines are produced rather forward and backward but the corresponding cross section is rather small. The processes considered here constitute a sizeable contribution to the total proton-proton cross section as well as to kaon inclusive cross section. We consider a measurement of exclusive production of scalar $\chi_{c0}$ meson in the proton-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. The influence of kinematical cuts on the signal-to-background ratio is discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures. text has been corrected and supplemented, cross section for forward/backward mechanisms has been corrected. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1103.564

Exclusive meson pair production in proton-proton collisions

We present a study of the exclusive production of meson pairs in the four-body $pp \to pp \pi^{+} \pi^{-}$, $pp K^{+}K^{-}$ reactions at high energies which constitute an irreducible background to resonance states (e.g. $\phi$, $f_{2}(1270)$, $f_{0}(1500)$, $f_{2}'(1525)$, $\chi_{c0}$). We consider central diffractive contribution mediated by Pomeron and Reggeon exchanges and new diffractive mechanism of emission of pions/kaons from the proton lines. We include absorption effects due to proton-proton interaction and pion/kaon rescattering. Predictions for the total cross section and differential distributions in pion/kaon rapidity and transverse momentum as well as two-pion/kaon invariant mass are presented for the RHIC, Tevatron and LHC colliders. Finally we consider a measurement of exclusive production of a scalar $\chi_{c0}$ meson via $\chi_{c0} \to \pi^{+} \pi^{-}$, $K^{+} K^{-}$ decay.Comment: 4 pp., 4 figures, talk presented by PL at MESON2012 - 12th International Workshop on Meson Production, Properties and Interaction, Krakow, Poland, 31 May - 5 June 201

Exclusive pp→nnπ+π+pp \to nn \pi^{+}\pi^{+} reaction at LHC and RHIC

We evaluate differential distributions for the four-body $p p \to n n \pi^+ \pi^+$ reaction. The amplitude for the process is calculated in the Regge approach including many diagrams. We make predictions for possible future experiments at RHIC and LHC energies. Very large cross sections are found which is partially due to interference of a few mechanisms. Presence of several interfering mechanisms precludes extraction of the elastic $\pi^+ \pi^+$ scattering cross section. Absorption effects are estimated. Differential distributions in pseudorapidity, rapidity, invariant two-pion mass, transverse-momentum and energy distributions of neutrons are presented for proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 500 GeV (RHIC) and $\sqrt{s}$ = 0.9, 2.36 and 7 TeV (LHC). Cross sections with experimental cuts are presented.Comment: 22 pages, 18 figures, calculations have been corrected, new processes added, discussion expanded in print in Phys. Rev.

Modeling pion and proton total cross-sections at LHC

To settle the question whether the growth with energy is universal for different hadronic total cross-sections, we present results from theoretical models for pion-proton, proton-proton and proton-antiproton total cross-sections. We show that present and planned experiments at LHC can differentiate between different models, all of which are consistent with presently available (lower energy) data. This study is also relevant for the analysis of those very high energy cosmic ray data which require reliable pion-proton total cross-sections as seeds. A preliminary study of the total pion-pion cross-sections is also made.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Physics Letters

Exclusive double-diffractive production of open charm in proton-proton and proton-antiproton collisions

We calculate differential cross sections for exclusive double diffractive (EDD) production of open charm in proton-proton and proton-antiproton collisions. Sizeable cross sections are found. The EDD contribution constitutes about 1 % of the total inclusive cross section for open charm production. A few differential distributions are shown and discussed. The EDD contribution falls faster both with transverse momentum of the $c$ quark/antiquark and the $c \bar c$ invariant mass than in the inclusive case.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Low-energy pion-pion scattering in the pp→ppπ+π−pp \to pp\pi^{+}\pi^{-} and ppˉ→ppˉπ+π−p\bar p \to p\bar p\pi^{+}\pi^{-} reactions

We evaluate the contribution of pion-pion rescattering to the $p p \to p p \pi^+ \pi^-$ and $p \bar p \to p \bar p \pi^+ \pi^-$ reactions. We compare our results with the close-to-threshold experimental data. The pion-pion rescattering contribution is found there to be negligible. The predictions for future experiments with PANDA detector at High Energy Storage Ring (HESR) in GSI Darmstadt are presented. It is discussed how to cut off the dominant Roper resonance and double-$\Delta$ excitation mechanisms leading to the $p p \pi^+ \pi^-$ channel in final state. Differential distributions in momentum transfers, transverse momentum, effective two-pions mass, relative azimuthal angle between pions, and pion rapidities are presented.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figure

Feasibility studies of the time-like proton electromagnetic form factor measurements with PANDA at FAIR

The possibility of measuring the proton electromagnetic form factors in the time-like region at FAIR with the \PANDA detector is discussed. Detailed simulations on signal efficiency for the annihilation of $\bar p +p$ into a lepton pair as well as for the most important background channels have been performed. It is shown that precision measurements of the differential cross section of the reaction $\bar p +p \to e^++ e^-$ can be obtained in a wide angular and kinematical range. The individual determination of the moduli of the electric and magnetic proton form factors will be possible up to a value of momentum transfer squared of $q^2\simeq 14$ (GeV/c)$^2$. The total $\bar p +p\to e^++e^-$ cross section will be measured up to $q^2\simeq 28$ (GeV/c)$^2$. The results obtained from simulated events are compared to the existing data. Sensitivity to the two photons exchange mechanism is also investigated.Comment: 12 pages, 4 tables, 8 figures Revised, added details on simulations, 4 tables, 9 figure

Feasibility studies of time-like proton electromagnetic form factors at PANDA at FAIR

Simulation results for future measurements of electromagnetic proton form factors at \PANDA (FAIR) within the PandaRoot software framework are reported. The statistical precision with which the proton form factors can be determined is estimated. The signal channel $\bar p p \to e^+ e^-$ is studied on the basis of two different but consistent procedures. The suppression of the main background channel, $\textit{i.e.}$ $\bar p p \to \pi^+ \pi^-$, is studied. Furthermore, the background versus signal efficiency, statistical and systematical uncertainties on the extracted proton form factors are evaluated using two different procedures. The results are consistent with those of a previous simulation study using an older, simplified framework. However, a slightly better precision is achieved in the PandaRoot study in a large range of momentum transfer, assuming the nominal beam conditions and detector performance