Evidence for the associated production of strange particles and φ mesons

Abstract Results are presented of an experiment studying inclusive ∅-meson production off protons by hadrons of 93 and 63 GeV incident momentum. Evidence is found for an enhanced probability of observing additional strange particles when the final state contains a ∅ meson. This supports the assumption that central production of ∅ mesons proceeds, for a significant part, by the OZI allowed fusion of strange quarks.