Near-threshold $\omega$-meson production in proton-proton collisions: With or without resonance excitations ?

Abstract

We present results for the $p p \to p p \omega$ reaction studied by considering two different scenarios: with and without the inclusion of nucleon resonance excitations. The recently measured angular distribution by the COSY-TOF Collaboration at an excess energy of $Q = 173$ MeV and the energy dependence of the total cross section data for $\pi^- p \to \omega n$ are used to calibrate the model parameters. The inclusion of nucleon resonances improves the theoretical prediction for the energy dependence of the total cross section in $pp \to pp\omega$ at excess energies $Q < 31$ MeV. However, it still underestimates the data by about a factor of two, and remains a problem in understanding the reaction mechanism.