Strangeness production at SPS energies from NA49

Abstract

We present results on strange particle production from experiment NA49 in central and minimum bias Pb+Pb collisions in the beam energy range 20–158 A GeV. New results on Ξ production in central Pb+Pb collisions and on Λ, Ξ production in minimum bias collisions are shown. Transverse mass spectra and rapidity distributions of strange particles at different energies are compared. The energy dependence of the particle yields and ratios is discussed. NA49 measurements of the Λ and Ξ enhancement factors are shown for the first time.