S = -2 dibaryons and hypernuclei

Future prospects for the exploration of doubly strange hypernuclear systems are evaluated. Such systems may be produced via the double strangeness exchange reactions (K-,K+) or (K-,K0) on nuclear targets. Theoretical estimates are given of the formation cross sections for Xi- hypernuclear states via the one-step K-p → K+Xi- process, or discrete states of the ΛΛ hypernucleus in the two step reaction K-p → π0Λ followed by π0p → K+Λ. Recently, there has been much discussion of six quark (dibaryon) states in the Bag Model. Arguments are given which indicate that the (K-,K+) reaction on light nuclear targets (ex. 3He) affords a very promising way of producing the lowest-lying S = -2 dibaryon