Resonance Model of $\pi \Delta \rightarrow Y K$ for Kaon Production in Heavy Ion Collisions

Abstract

The elementary production cross sections $\pi \Delta \rightarrow Y K$ $(Y=\Sigma,\,\, \Lambda)$ and $\pi N \rightarrow Y K$ are needed to describe kaon production in heavy ion collisions. The $\pi N \rightarrow Y K$ reactions were studied previously by a resonance model. The model can explain the experimental data quite well \cite{tsu}. In this article, the total cross sections $\pi \Delta \rightarrow Y K$ at intermediate energies (from the kaon production threshold to3 GeV of $\pi \Delta$ center-of-mass energy) are calculated for the first time using the same resonance model. The resonances, $N(1710)\,I(J^P) = \frac{1}{2}(\frac{1}{2}^+)$ and $N(1720)\, \frac{1}{2} (\frac{3}{2}^+)$ for the $\pi \Delta \rightarrow \Sigma K$ reactions, and $N(1650)\, \frac{1}{2} (\frac{1}{2}^-)$, $N(1710)\, \frac{1}{2} (\frac{1}{2}^+)$ and $N(1720)\, \frac{1}{2} (\frac{3}{2}^+)$ for the $\pi \Delta \rightarrow \Lambda K$ reactions are taken into account coherently as the intermediate states in the calculations. Also t-channel $K^*(892) \frac{1}{2}(1^-)$ vector meson exchange is included. The results show that $K^*(892)$ exchange is neglegible for the $\pi \Delta \rightarrow \Sigma K$ reactions, whereas this meson does not contribute to the $\pi \Delta \rightarrow \Lambda K$ reactions. Furthemore, the $\pi \Delta \rightarrow Y K$ contributions to kaon production in heavy ion collisions are not only non-neglegible but also very different from the $\pi N \rightarrow Y K$ reactions. An argument valid for $\pi N \rightarrow Y K$ cannot be extended to $\pi \Delta \rightarrow Y K$ reactions. Therefore, cross sections for $\pi \Delta \rightarrow Y K$ including correctly the different isospins must be