New results from WA102 experiment [Central meson production]

A study of central meson production as a function of the azimuthal angle phi between the two outgoing protons show that the phi distributions are different for the different J/sup PC/ of the central system and that the observed distributions are consistent with the DPE mediated by two vector pomerons. In addition, the distributions of the difference in transverse momentum (dP/sub T/) of exchange particles are significantly different for the undisputed qq states and the glueball candidates. The S-wave spectrum of the centrally produced KK, and pi pi systems show evidence on f/sub 0 /(980), f/sub 0/(1370), f/sub 0/(1500) and f/sub J/(1710) state production. The spin of f/sub J/(1710) is unambiguously identified as J=0. (18 refs).