Experimental results on multi-nucleonic K− absorptions in light nuclei

Abstract

The AMADEUS collaboration studied the K⁻ absorptions at low momentum in light nuclei leading to Σ⁰p final state. Those events were recorded by the KLOE detector, used as an active target, installed in the the DAΦNE collider. The results show that it is possible to isolate the process where the K⁻ is absorbed by two nucleons and the decay products are emitted without any further final state interactions among other contributions involving more than two nucleons. Further, the possible contribution of a ppK⁻ bound state was investigated. The best fit gives space to a yield of ppK⁻/K_stop⁻ = (0.044 ± 0.009 stat_−0.005^+0.004) × 10⁻² corresponding to a binding energy and a width of 45 and 30 MeV/c², respectively. A statistical analysis of this result shows although that its significance is only at the level of 1σ.