Inclusive φ production in K+p interactions at 70 GeV/c

Abstract We present results on inclusive φ meson production in K + p interactions at 70 GeV/ c in the kaon fragmentation x >0.2 region. Comparison with other data on φ meson production in K ± and p induced reactions provides evidence that the strange valence-quark fragmentation or recombination processes play the dominant role in the K ± → φ transitions. Arguments are presented that the kaon valence strange s -quark carries a much higher momentum fraction than the u-quark. Evidence for the previously observed narrow φπ + state at mass ∼2.1 GeV is discussed.