Baryon exchange and meson pole diagrams in pp̄ → K̄K, π⁺π^-

The p̄p → K̄K and π+π- annihilation reactions are consistently investigated in a model with both the baryon-exchange diagrams and the meson pole diagrams. The main feature, the backward enhancement, of the observed differential cross sections for p̄p → K̄K and π+π- between 360 to 1550 MeV/c is well understood in this model while the analyzing powers are reasonably reproduced. Specific to the strangeness aspect in p̄p → K̄K is that the meson pole diagrams are more important than the baryon-exchange diagrams. Among the meson pole diagrams the tensor meson f2 dominates the back angle behaviour of differential cross sections. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.