f0(980) production in inelastic pp collisions at √s=5.02 TeV

The measurement of the production of f(0)(980) in inelastic pp collisions at root s= 5.02TeV is presented. This is the first reported measurement of inclusive f(0)(980) yield at LHC energies. The production is measured at midrapidity, vertical bar y vertical bar< 0.5, in a wide transverse momentum range, 0< p(T)< 16GeV/c, by reconstructing the resonance in the f(0)(980) -> pi(+) pi(-) hadronic decay channel using the ALICE detector. The p(T)-differential yields are compared to those of pions, protons and phi mesons as well as to predictions from the HERWIG7.2 QCD-inspired Monte Carlo event generator and calculations from a coalescence model that uses the AMPT model as an input. The ratio of the p(T)-integrated yield of f(0)(980) relative to pions is compared to measurements in e(+) e(-) and pp collisions at lower energies and predictions from statistical hadronisation models and HERWIG7.2. A mild collision energy dependence of the f(0)(980) to pion production is observed in pp collisions from SPS to LHC energies. All considered models underpredict the p(T)-integrated 2f(0)(980)/(pi(+)+pi(-)) ratio. The prediction from the canonical statistical hadronisation model assuming a zero total strangeness content of f(0)(980) is consistent with the data within 1.9 s and is the closest to the data. The results provide an essential reference for future measurements of the particle yield and nuclear modification in p-Pb and Pb-Pb collisions, which have been proposed to be instrumental to probe the elusive nature and quark composition of the f(0)(980) scalar meson. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Funded by SCOAP(3).