Strange particle enhancement in heavy ion collisions

In the Regge-Gribov-Veneziano approach to hadron interactions (implemented strictly in VENUS recently) a proper treatment of double-colour exchange leads to double strings. Such strings correspond to a (say) forward moving quark being linked via two ordinary strings to two backward moving quarks. Leading baryons now require the breaking of two strings. Having twice the chance of producing a strange q - anti q pair these strings produce twice as many strange baryons as compared to ordinary strings therefore leading to an enhancement of strange baryons in AA relative to pp collisions. We reproduce experimental Λ and also Ks and anti Λ spectra in 200 GeV S+S scattering (using VENUS 4.02). (orig.)