Observation of inverse diproton photodisintegration at intermediate energies

The reaction pp->{pp}_s\gamma, where {pp}_s is a proton pair with an excitation energy E_{pp}<3 MeV, has been observed with the ANKE spectrometer at COSY-Juelich for proton beam energies of T_p=0.353, 0.500, and 0.550 GeV. This is equivalent to photodisintegration of a free 1S_0 diproton for photon energies E\gamma ~ T_p/2. The differential cross sections measured for c.m. angles 0 deg.<\theta_{pp}<20 deg. exhibit a steep increase with angle that is compatible with E1 and E2 multipole contributions. The ratio of the measured cross sections to those of np->d\gamma is on the 10^{-3}-10^{-2} level. The increase of the pp->{pp}_s\gamma cross section with T_p might reflect the influence of the Delta(1232) excitation.Comment: 4 pages + 4 figure

The energy dependence of the pp->K+ n Sigma+ reaction close to threshold

The production of the Sigma+ hyperon through the pp->K+nSigma+ reaction has been investigated at four energies close to threshold, 1.826, 1.920, 1.958, and 2.020 GeV. At low energies, correlated K+pi+ pairs can only originate from Sigma+ production so that their measurement allows the total cross section for the reaction to be determined. The results obtained are completely consistent with the values extracted from the study of the K+-proton correlation spectra obtained in the same experiment. These spectra, as well as the inclusive K+ momentum distributions, also provide conservative upper limits on the Sigma+ production rates. The measurements show a Sigma+ production cross section that varies roughly like phase space and, in particular, none of the three experimental approaches used supports the anomalously high near-threshold pp->K+ nSigma+ total cross section previously reported [T. Rozek et al., Phys. Lett. B 643, 251 (2006)].Comment: Submitted to PR

Measurement of the isospin-filtering dd -> 4He K+ K- reaction at Q=39 MeV

The total cross section for the dd -> 4He K+ K- reaction has been measured at a beam momentum of 3.7 GeV/c, corresponding to an excess energy of 39 MeV, which is the maximum possible at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY-J\"{u}lich. A deuterium cluster-jet target and the ANKE forward magnetic spectrometer, placed inside the storage ring, have been employed in this investigation. We find a total cross section of sigma(tot) < 14 pb, which brings into question the viability of investigating the dd -> 4He a0(980) reaction as a means of studying isospin violation.Comment: Five pages with three eps figure

New determination of the mass of the eta meson at COSY-ANKE

A value for the mass of the eta meson has been determined at the COSY-ANKE facility through the measurement of a set of deuteron laboratory beam momenta and associated 3He center-of-mass momenta in the d+p -> 3He+X reaction. The eta was then identified by the missing-mass peak and the production threshold determined. The individual beam momenta were fixed with a relative precision of 3 x 10^-5 for values around 3 GeV/c by using a polarized deuteron beam and inducing an artificial depolarizing spin resonance, which occurs at a well-defined frequency. The final-state momenta in the two-body d+p -> 3He+eta reaction were investigated in detail by studying the size of the 3He momentum ellipse with the forward detection system of the ANKE spectrometer. Final alignment of the spectrometer for this high precision experiment was achieved through a comprehensive study of the 3He final-state momenta as a function of the center-of-mass angles, taking advantage of the full geometrical acceptance. The value obtained for the mass, m(eta)=(547.873 +- 0.005(stat) +- 0.027(syst)) MeV/c^2, is consistent and competitive with other recent measurements, in which the meson was detected through its decay products.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, published versio

Absence of spin dependence in the final state interaction of the d(pol) p --> 3He eta reaction

The deuteron tensor analysing power t_{20} of the d(pol) p --> 3He eta reaction has been measured at the COSY-ANKE facility in small steps in excess energy Q up to Q = 11 MeV. Despite the square of the production amplitude varying by over a factor of five through this range, t_{20} shows little or no energy dependence. This is evidence that the final state interaction causing the energy variation is not influenced by the spin configuration in the entrance channel. The weak angular dependence observed for t_{20} provides useful insight into the amplitude structure near threshold.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Evidence of kaon nuclear and Coulomb potential effects on soft K+ production from nuclei

The ratio of forward K+ production on copper, silver and gold targets to that on carbon has been measured at proton beam energies between 1.5 and 2.3 GeV as a function of the kaon momentum p_K using the ANKE spectrometer at COSY-Juelich. The strong suppression in the ratios observed for p_K<200-250 MeV/c can be ascribed to a combination of Coulomb and nuclear repulsion in the K+A system. This opens a new way to investigate the interaction of K+-mesons in the nuclear medium. Our data are consistent with a K+A nuclear potential of V_K~20 MeV at low kaon momenta and normal nuclear density. Given the sensitivity of the data to the kaon potential, the current experimental precision might allow one to determine V_K to better than 3 MeV.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures; changed conten

Inclusive K^+ meson production in proton-nucleus interactions

The production of K^+ mesons in pA (A = D, C, Cu, Ag, Au) collisions has been investigated at the COoler SYnchrotron COSY-J\"ulich for beam energies T_p = 1.0 - 2.3 GeV. Double differential inclusive pC cross sections at forward angles theta < 12 degrees as well as the target-mass dependence of the K^+ momentum spectra have been measured with the ANKE spectrometer. Far below the free NN threshold at T_{NN}=1.58 GeV the spectra reveal a high degree of collectivity in the target nucleus. From the target-mass dependence of the cross sections at higher energies, the repulsive in-medium potential of K^+ mesons can be deduced. Using pN cross-section parameterisations from literature and our measured pD data we derive a cross-section ratio of sigma(pn -> K^+ X) / sigma(pp -> K^+ X) ~ (3-4).Comment: Accepted for publication in EPJ A; 17 pages, 10 figures, 11 table

Lineshape of the Lambda(1405) Hyperon Measured Through its Sigma0 pion0 Decay

The pp -> p K+ Y0 reaction has been studied for hyperon masses m(Y0)<1540 MeV/c2 at COSY-Juelich by using a 3.65 GeV/c circulating proton beam incident on an internal hydrogen target. Final states comprising two protons, one positively charged kaon and one negatively charged pion have been identified with the ANKE spectrometer. Such configurations are sensitive to the production of the ground state Lambda and Sigma0 hyperons as well as the Sigma0(1385) and Lambda(1405) resonances. Applying invariant- and missing-mass techniques, the two overlapping excited states could be well separated, though with limited statistics. The shape and position of the Lambda(1405) distribution, reconstructed cleanly in the Sigma0 pion0 channel, are similar to those found from other decay modes and there is no obvious mass shift. This finding constitutes a challenging test for models that predict Lambda(1405) to be a two-state resonance.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.