Measurement of the forward \(\eta\) meson production rate in p-p collisions at \(\sqrt{s}\)=13 TeV with the LHCf-Arm2 detector

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Piparo, Giuseppe, Adriani, Oscar, Berti, Eugenio, Betti, Pietro, Bonechi, Lorenzo, Bongi, Massimo, D'Alessandro, Raffaello, Detti, Sebastiano, Haguenauer, Maurice, Itow, Yoshitaka, Kasahara, Katsuaki, Kitagami, Yuga, Kondo, Moe, Matsubara, Yutaka, Menjo, Hiroaki, Muraki, Yasushi, Ohashi, Ken, Papini, Paolo, Ricciarini, Sergio, Sako, Takashi, Sakurai, Nobuyuki, Scaringella, Monica, Shimizu, Yuki, Tamura, Tadashi, Tiberio, Alessio, Torii, Shoji, Tricomi, Alessia, Turner, William C, Yoshida, Kenji
• Format: Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 11.05.2023
• Subjects: Atmospheric models; Collisions; Constraint modelling; Cosmic ray showers; Eta-mesons; Interaction models; Large Hadron Collider; Particle production; Protons
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2305.06633

The forward \(\eta\) mesons production has been observed by the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment in proton-proton collision at \(\sqrt{s}\)=13 TeV. This paper presents the measurement of the inclusive production rate of \(\eta\) in \(p_T<\) 1.1 GeV/c, expressed as a function of the Feynman-x variable. These results are compared with the predictions of several hadronic interaction models commonly used for the modelling of the air showers produced by ultra-high energy cosmic rays. This is both the first measurement of \(\eta\) mesons from LHCf and the first time a particle containing strange quarks has been observed in the forward region for high-energy collisions. These results will provide a powerful constraint on hadronic interaction models for the purpose of improving the understanding of the processes underlying the air showers produced in the Earth's atmosphere by ultra-energetic cosmic rays.