Near threshold K+K− meson-pair production in proton–proton collisions

Abstract The near threshold total cross section and angular distributions of K + K − pair production via the reaction pp → ppK + K − have been studied at an excess energy of Q =17 MeV using the COSY-11 facility at the cooler synchrotron COSY. The obtained cross section as well as an upper limit at an excess energy of Q =3 MeV represent the first measurements on the K + K − production in the region of small excess energies where production via the channel pp → ppΦ → ppK + K − is energetically forbidden. The possible influence of a resonant production via intermediate scalar states f 0 (980) and a 0 (980) is discussed.