P. Koran

Search for double-Λ hypernuclei and the H-dibaryon in the (K−,K+) reaction on 12C

Abstract A search for double- Λ hypernuclei ( 12 ΛΛ Be) and H -dibaryons using the 12 C( K − , K + ) reaction was performed at the BNL-AGS using a high-intensity 1.8 GeV/ c K − beam. A missing-mass analysis below the end point of the quasi-free Ξ − production was used to investigate these S =−2 systems. The upper limit obtained for the forward-angle cross section of 12 ΛΛ Be production is 6 to 10 nb/sr. This is the first search for the direct production of double- Λ hypernuclei to reach the sensitivity required to observe the signal predicted by theoretical calculations. For the H -production cross section, we have obtained an upper limit in the range of a few nb/sr to 10 nb/sr for the H mass below 2100 MeV/ c 2 . This upper limit is the most sensitive H search result to date for a tightly bound H .

Searching for the H-Dibaryon at Brookhaven

At the Brookhaven AGS several experiments are searching for the unique strangeness S = −2 H-dibaryon with the quark composition (uuddss). The E813/E836 collaboration, in particular, is using a high-intensity, separated 1.8 GeV/c K − beam and two different target configurations. In E836 the reaction K − + 3He→K + + H + n is used to search for a relatively deeply-bound H. Complementary to E836 the reactions K − + p → Ξ − + K +, followed by (Ξ −, d)atom → H + n are used to search near twice the A mass. The status of these two experiments is summarized, and other H-dibaryon searches are briefly reviewed.

Evidence of Xi hypernuclear production in the ^{12}C(K^-,K^+)^{12}_{Xi}Be reaction

The E885 collaboration utilized the 1.8 GeV/c K^- beam line at the AGS to accumulate 3 x 10^5 (K^-,K^+) events. Xi hypernuclear states are expected to be produced through the reaction K^- + ^{12}C -> K^+ + ^{12}_{Xi}Be. The measured missing-mass spectrum indicates the existence of a signal below the threshold for free Xi production. Although the resolution was not sufficient to resolve discrete hypernuclear states, the excess of events in the region of missing mass, kinematically inaccessible in free Xi production, is compared to theoretical prediction for ^{12}_{Xi}Be production.

H-dibaryon search via the (K-,K+) reaction using a diamond target (BNL-E885)

Abstract An experiment to study double-strangeness systems was performed at the BNL-AGS via the (K − ,K + ) reaction using a diamond target and scintillating fiber (SCIFI) blocks (E885). A search for the H dibaryon through the stopped Ξ − process is one of the objectives. The number of stopped Ξ − s is about 9,000, and the expected sensitivity of the H dibaryon search is more than one order of magnitude higher than that of the previous experiment at KEK-PS (E224).

Evidence ofΞhypernuclear production in the12C(K−,K+)Ξ12Bereaction

The E885 collaboration utilized the 1.8 GeV/c K^- beam line at the AGS to accumulate 3 x 10^5 (K^-,K^+) events. Xi hypernuclear states are expected to be produced through the reaction K^- + ^{12}C -> K^+ + ^{12}_{Xi}Be. The measured missing-mass spectrum indicates the existence of a signal below the threshold for free Xi production. Although the resolution was not sufficient to resolve discrete hypernuclear states, the excess of events in the region of missing mass, kinematically inaccessible in free Xi production, is compared to theoretical prediction for ^{12}_{Xi}Be production.

Evidence of Xi hypernuclear production in the C-12(K-,K+)(Xi)Be-12 reaction

The E885 collaboration utilized the 1.8 GeV/c K^- beam line at the AGS to accumulate 3 x 10^5 (K^-,K^+) events. Xi hypernuclear states are expected to be produced through the reaction K^- + ^{12}C -> K^+ + ^{12}_{Xi}Be. The measured missing-mass spectrum indicates the existence of a signal below the threshold for free Xi production. Although the resolution was not sufficient to resolve discrete hypernuclear states, the excess of events in the region of missing mass, kinematically inaccessible in free Xi production, is compared to theoretical prediction for ^{12}_{Xi}Be production.

H-dibaryon search via the (K-,K+) reaction using a diamond target

Abstract An experiment to study double-strangeness systems was performed at the BNL-AGS via the (K − ,K + ) reaction using a diamond target and scintillating fiber (SCIFI) blocks (E885). A search for the H dibaryon through the stopped Ξ − process is one of the objectives. The number of stopped Ξ − s is about 9,000, and the expected sensitivity of the H dibaryon search is more than one order of magnitude higher than that of the previous experiment at KEK-PS (E224).