Formation of double-Λ hypernuclei at PANDA

We study the formation of single- and double-Λ hypernuclei in antiproton-induced reactions relevant for the forthcoming PANDA experiment at FAIR. We use the Giessen Boltzmann–Uehling–Uhlenbeck (GiBUU) transport model with relativistic mean-fields for the description of non-equilibrium dynamics and the statistical multifragmentation model (SMM) for fragment formation. This combined approach describes the dynamical properties of strangeness and fragments in low energy image-induced reactions fairly well. We then focus on the formation of double-Λ hypernuclei in high energy image-nucleus collisions on a primary target including the complementary Ξ-induced reactions to a secondary one, as proposed by the PANDA Collaboration. Our results show that a copious production of double-Λ hyperfragments is possible at PANDA. In particular, we provide first theoretical estimations on the double-Λ production cross section, which strongly rises with decreasing energy of the secondary Ξ-beam.