Multiplicity dependence of f$_0$(980) production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

Abstract

The dependence of $\mathrm{f}_{0}$(980) production on the final-state charged-particle multiplicity is reported for proton-proton (pp) collisions at the centre-of-mass energy, $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV. The production of $\mathrm{f}_{0}$(980) is measured with the ALICE detector via the $\mathrm{f}_0 (980) \rightarrow \pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ decay channel in a midrapidity region of $|y|<0.5$. The evolution of the integrated yields and mean transverse momentum of f$_{0}$(980) as a function of charged-particle multiplicity measured in pp at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV follows the trends observed in pp at $\sqrt{s}=5.02$ TeV and in proton-lead (p-Pb) collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV. Particle yield ratios of $\mathrm{f}_{0}$(980) to $\pi^{\pm}$ and $\mathrm{K}^{*}$(892)$^{0}$ are found to decrease with increasing charged-particle multiplicity. These particle ratios are compared with calculations from the canonical statistical thermal model as a function of charged-particle multiplicity. The thermal model calculations provide a better description of the decreasing trend of particle ratios when no strange or antistrange quark composition for f$_{0}$(980) is assumed, which suggests that the data do not support significant hidden strangeness in the f$_{0}$(980).