PHI meson inclusive production by 70 Gev/c protons

Results of the experimental study of inclusive phi meson production off berillium nuclei by the 7O GeV/c protons in the beam fragmentation region for Feynman variable x>0.41 are presented. Fitting of the measured differential cross-sections to the forms dsub(σ)/dx approximately (1-x)sup(n) and dsub(σ)/dpsub(t)sup(2) approximately exp(-Bpsub(t)sup(2)) gives the parameters of n=6.0+-1.7 and B=(2.4+-0.7) where psub(t) is the transverse momentum in the framework of a quark-parton model the obtained phi-meson x distribution suggests that in the region of x>0.41 nearly 90% of phi mesons are produced via a strange sea quark fusion. The calculated ratio of the Zweig forbidden quark annihilation constant to the allowed one α=(5+-18)x10-4 is significantly lower than the value of the same ratio α approximately equal to 10-2 obtained from the decay rate analysis. The total inclusive cross-section is estimated to be of σ(pN→phiX)=(0.7+-0.2)x10-27 cm2