$$K^{*}(892)^0$$ K ∗ ( 892 ) 0 meson production in inelastic p+p interactions at 40 and 80 $$\text{ GeV }\!/\!c$$ GeV / c beam momenta measured by NA61/SHINE at the CERN SPS

Abstract Measurements of $$K^{*}(892)^0$$ K ∗ ( 892 ) 0 resonance production via its $$K^{+}\pi ^{-}$$ K + π - decay mode in inelastic p+p collisions at beam momenta 40 and 80 $$\text{ GeV }\!/\!c$$ GeV / c ( $$\sqrt{s_{NN}}=8.8$$ s NN = 8.8 and 12.3 $$\text{ GeV }$$ GeV ) are presented. The data were recorded by the NA61/SHINE hadron spectrometer at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron. The template method was used to extract the $$K^{*}(892)^0$$ K ∗ ( 892 ) 0 signal. Transverse momentum and rapidity spectra were obtained. The mean multiplicities of $$K^{*}(892)^0$$ K ∗ ( 892 ) 0 mesons were found to be $$(35.1 \pm 1.3 \mathrm {(stat)} \pm 3.6 \mathrm {(sys))} \cdot 10^{-3}$$ ( 35.1 ± 1.3 ( stat ) ± 3.6 ( sys ) ) · 10 - 3 at 40 $$\text{ GeV }\!/\!c$$ GeV / c and $$(58.3 \pm 1.9 \mathrm {(stat)} \pm 4.9 \mathrm {(sys))} \cdot 10^{-3}$$ ( 58.3 ± 1.9 ( stat ) ± 4.9 ( sys ) ) · 10 - 3 at 80 $$\text{ GeV }\!/\!c$$ GeV / c . The NA61/SHINE results are compared with the Epos1.99 and Hadron Resonance Gas models as well as with world data. The transverse mass spectra of $$K^{*}(892)^0$$ K ∗ ( 892 ) 0 mesons and other particles previously reported by NA61/SHINE were fitted within the Blast-Wave model. The transverse flow velocities are close to 0.1–0.2 of the speed of light and are significantly smaller than the ones determined in heavy nucleus-nucleus interactions at the same beam momenta.