Search for a double-pomeron-exchange contribution in the reaction K−p → K−(π−π+)p at 14.3 GeV/c

The π+π− system produced in the reaction K−p → K−(π+π−)p at 14.3 GeV/c is strongly enhanced in the ππ near-threshold region and is consistent with having a large ππS-wave component. The double-pomeron-exchange mechanism contribution to its production is found to be at most 4% for the mass regionM(π+π−)⩽0.6 GeV. The lowmass π+π− system is consistent with being entirely produced in conjunction with the Kππ andNππ diffraction dissociation clusters corresponding to incident K and proton fragmentations respectively.