Ratio of cross-sections of kaons to pions produced in $pp$ collisions as a function of $\sqrt{s}$

Abstract

A calculation of the inclusive spectra of pions and kaons produced in $pp$ collisions as functions of their transverse momentum $p_t$ at mid-rapidity is presented within the self-similarity approach. A satisfactory description of the data within a wide range of initial energies is presented. We focus mainly on the ratio of cross-sections of $K^\pm$ to $\pi^\pm$ mesons produced in $pp$ collisions as a function of $\sqrt{s}$. A fast rise of this ratio, when the initial energy increases starting from the kaon production threshold up to $\sqrt{s}\simeq$ 20-30 Gev, is revealed together with its very slow increase up to LHC energies. The energy dependence of this ratio is due to the conservation laws of four-momenta and quantum numbers of the initial and produced hadrons, and to the Regge behavior of cross-sections at large energies. The more or less satisfactory agreement of these ratios with NA61-SHINE, RHIC and LHC data is demonstrated.