KS0 meson production in inelastic p+p interactions at 31, 40 and 80 GeV/c beam momentum measured by NA61/SHINE at the CERN SPS

The yields of K S 0 mesons have been measured in inelastic p+p interactions at incident projectile momenta of 31, 40 and 80 Ge V / c ( s NN = 7.7 , 8.8 and 12.3 Ge V , respectively). The data were recorded by the NA61 / SHINE spectrometer at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron and the K S 0 mesons identified via their decays into π + π - pairs. Double-differential distributions are presented as function of transverse momentum and rapidity. The mean multiplicities of K S 0 mesons were determined to be ( 5.95 ± 0.19 ( s t a t ) ± 0.30 ( s y s ) ) × 10 - 2 at 31 Ge V / c , ( 7.61 ± 0.13 ( s t a t ) ± 0.43 ( s y s ) ) × 10 - 2 at 40 Ge V / c and ( 11.58 ± 0.12 ( s t a t ) ± 0.55 ( s y s ) ) × 10 - 2 at 80 Ge V / c . The results on K S 0 production are compared with the production of charged kaons in corresponding reactions and with model calculations ( Epos1.99 , SMASH 2.0 and PHSD) as well as with published data from other experiments.