# EPS-HEP2021 conference

26-30 July 2021
Zoom
Europe/Berlin timezone

## Exclusive $pp \to pp K^{*0} \bar{K}^{*0}$ reaction: $f_{2}(1950)$ resonance versus diffractive continuum

Not scheduled
20m
Zoom

### Speaker

Piotr Lebiedowicz (IFJ PAN, Cracow)

### Description

We present first predictions of the cross sections and differential distributions for the exclusive reaction $pp \to pp K^{*0} \bar{K}^{*0}$ contributing to the $K^{+} K^{-} \pi^{+} \pi^{-}$ channel [1]. The amplitudes for the reaction are formulated within the tensor-pomeron approach [2]. 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 [3]. We find that including the continuum contribution alone one can describe the WA102 data reasonably well. We present predictions for the reaction $pp \to pp (K^{*0} \bar{K}^{*0} \to K^{+} K^{-} \pi^{+} \pi^{-})$ for the LHC experiments including typical kinematical cuts. A similar behaviour of the continuum and $f_{2}$ production processes makes an identification of a hypothetical tensor-glueball state in this reaction rather difficult. We find from our model a cross sections of $\sigma \cong 17-250$ nb for the LHC experiments, depending on the assumed cuts. Absorption effects are included in our analysis. Our predictions can be tested by all collaborations (ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, LHCb) working at the LHC. A measurable cross section for the exclusive process $pp \to pp (K^{*0} \bar{K}^{*0} \to K^{+}\pi^{-}K^{-}\pi^{+})$ should provide an interesting challenge to check and explore.

[1] P. Lebiedowicz, Phys. Rev. D103 (2021) 054039;
[2] C. Ewerz, M. Maniatis, O. Nachtmann, Annals Phys. 342 (2014) 31;
[3] D. Barberis et al., (WA102 Collaboration), Phys. Lett. B436 (1998) 204.

First author Piotr Lebiedowicz Piotr.Lebiedowicz@ifj.edu.pl IFJ PAN, Cracow

### Primary author

Piotr Lebiedowicz (IFJ PAN, Cracow)