Production of ${}_{\Lambda }^{3}H$ and ${}_{\Lambda }^{4}H$ in Central 11.5 GeV/c Au + Pt Heavy Ion Collisions

Abstract

We present measurements from BNL AGS Experiment E864 of the ${}_{\Lambda }^{3}H$ invariant multiplicity and of the 90% Confidence Level upper limit on the ${}_{\Lambda }^{4}H$ yield in central 11.5 A GeV/c Au + Pt collisions. The measurements span a rapidity range from center of mass, $y_{cm}$, to $y_{cm}$+1 and a transverse momentum range of $0.<p_T\le 1.5$ GeV/c. We compare these results with E864 measurements of stable light nuclei and particle unstable nuclei yields of the same baryon number. The implications of these results for the coalescence of strange clusters are discussed.

16 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables