Measurement of inelastic scattering $Λ(\overlineΛ)+p\toΣ^{0}(\overlineΣ^{0})+p$ via $e^+e^-\to J/ψ\toΛ\overlineΛ$

Abstract

Using a sample of $(10087\pm44)\times10^{6}$ $J/ψ$ events collected with the BESIII detector, we investigate the inelastic scattering processes $Λ+p\toΣ^{0}+p$ and $\overlineΛ+p\to\overlineΣ^{0}+p$, exploiting hyperons from $J/ψ\toΛ\overlineΛ$ decays as an effective beam and the beam-pipe materials as targets. The processes $Λ+{}^{9}\mathrm{Be}\toΣ^{0}+p+{}^{8}\mathrm{Li}$ and $\overlineΛ+{}^{9}\mathrm{Be}\to\overlineΣ^{0}+p+{}^{8}\mathrm{Li}$ are measured at a hyperon momentum of $1.074~\mathrm{GeV}/c$, with cross sections of $(10.1\pm1.4_{\rm stat}\pm0.7_{\rm syst})$ mb and $(1.7\pm0.6_{\rm stat}\pm0.4_{\rm syst})$ mb, respectively. Under the assumption of surface-dominated hyperon-nucleus scattering, these measurements are used to extract the corresponding proton-target cross sections. Independently, direct measurements using the hydrogen component of the beam-pipe oil yield $(3.2\pm1.1_{\rm stat}\pm0.5_{\rm syst})$ mb for $Λ+p\toΣ^{0}+p$ and $(1.5\pm0.5_{\rm stat}\pm0.1_{\rm syst})$ mb for $\overlineΛ+p\to\overlineΣ^{0}+p$, consistent with the indirect determinations. The combined cross sections are $(4.7\pm0.7)$ mb and $(1.1\pm0.3)$ mb, respectively. The $\overlineΛ+p\to\overlineΣ^{0}+p$ signal constitutes the first evidence for anti-hyperon inelastic scattering with baryonic final states, with a significance of $3.1σ$. The pronounced difference between the $Λp$ and $\overlineΛp$ inelastic scattering cross sections provides new experimental constraints on hyperon-nucleon and anti-hyperon-nucleon interactions.