Production of $\eta\prime$ Mesons in the $pp \to pp\eta\prime$ Reaction at 3.67 GeV/c

The ratio of the total exclusive production cross sections for eta' and eta mesons has been measured in the pp reaction at p(beam) = 3.67 GeV/c. The observed eta'/eta ratio is (0.83 +/- 0.11(-0.18)(+0.23)) x 10(-2) from which the exclusive eta' meson production cross section is determined to be (1.12 +/- 0.15(-0.31)(+0.42)) mub Differential cross section distributions have been measured. Their shape is consistent with isotropic eta' meson production. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.