$\rm K_{1}(1270)$ production in pp collisions with ALICE

Abstract

The study of chiral partners such as $\rm{K_1}$ and $\rm{K^*}$ mesons, which have vacuum widths below 100 MeV, provides an opportunity to explore chiral symmetry restoration in heavy-ion collisions. A recent theoretical model suggests that the $\rm{K_1/K^*}$ ratio in heavy-ion collisions should be significantly larger than that predicted by the statistical hadronisation model. Investigating the $\rm{K_1/K^*}$ ratio as a function of multiplicity across various collision systems, from pp to central heavy-ion collisions, can shed light on the impact of chiral symmetry restoration. However, the $\rm{K_1}$ meson has yet to be observed in hadron-hadron collisions. The ALICE detector's advanced particle identification capabilities enable the measurement of the $\rm{K_1}$ meson through hadronic decay modes, such as $\rm{K_{1}^{-} \rightarrow \rho^{0}K^{-}}$ and $\rm{K_{1}^{-} \rightarrow \pi^{-}\bar{K}^{*0}}$. This presentation discusses the feasibility of measuring $\rm{K_1}$ mesons in pp collisions using the ALICE experiment.