Pentaquark Baryon Production in Nuclear Reactions

Using a hadronic model with empirical coupling constants and form factors, we have evaluated the cross sections for the production of exotic pentaquark Θ and/or Ξ 5 and Ξ−− 5 in reactions induced by photons, nucleons, pions, and kaons on nucleon targets. We have also predicted the Θ yield in relativistic heavy ion collisions using a kinetic model that takes into account both Θ production from the coalescence of quarks and antiquarks in the quark-gluon plasma and the effects due to subsequent hadronic absorption and regeneration.