Multiplicity dependence of f0(980) production in pp collisions at √s=13 TeV

Abstract

The dependence of f(0)(980) production on the final-state charged-particle multiplicity is reported for protonproton (pp) collisions at the centre-of-mass energy, root s = 13 TeV. The production of f(0)(980) is measured with the ALICE detector via the f(0)(980) -> pi(+)pi(-) decay channel in a midrapidity region of |y| < 0.5. The evolution of the integrated yields and mean transverse momentum of f(0)(980) as a function of charged-particle multiplicity measured in pp at root s = 13 TeV follows the trends observed in pp at root s = 5.02 TeV and in proton-lead (p-Pb) collisions at root s(NN) = 5.02 TeV. Particle yield ratios of f0(980) to p +/- and K*(892)(0) are found to decrease with increasing chargedparticle multiplicity. These particle ratios are compared with calculations from the canonical statistical thermalmodel as a function of charged-particle multiplicity. The thermal model calculations provide a better description of the decreasing trend of particle ratios when no strange or antistrange quark composition for f(0)(980) is assumed, which suggests that the data do not support significant hidden strangeness in the f(0)(980).