Central exclusive production of pion pairs in proton-(anti)proton collisions

Abstract

We present results for exclusive $p p \to p p \pi^+ \pi^-$ or $p \bar p \to p \bar p \pi^+ \pi^-$ processes at high energies. We discuss the role of new additional absorption corrections in the non-resonant Lebiedowicz-Szczurek model mediated by the pomeron and reggeon exchanges. We discuss also the role of the $\rho^{0}$ and the Drell-S\"oding photoproduction mechanism. We compare our predictions with recent experimental results obtained by the STAR and CDF Collaborations. We present predictions for the ALICE, ATLAS and CMS experiments. Differential distributions in invariant two-pion mass and two-dimensional distributions in proton-proton relative azimuthal angle and transverse momentum of one of the protons are presented.