Strangeness enhancements at central rapidity in 40 A GeV/c Pb-Pb collisions

Results are presented on the production of K0S, hyperonsand antihyperons in Pb–Pb and p–Be interactions at 40 GeV/c per nucleon. The enhancementpattern follows the same hierarchy as seen in the higher energy data—the enhancementincreases with the strangenesscontent of the hyperonsand with the centrality of collision. The centrality dependence of the Pb–Pb yields and enhancementsis steeper at 40 than at 158 A GeV/c. The energy dependence of strangeness enhancementsat mid-rapidity is discussed.