Question of aK+K+Resonance

Using a separated 3.535-BeV/c $K^{+}$ beam, we have examined the reactions $K^{+}p\to K^{+}{K}^{+}{\Lambda }^{\circ }$ and $K^{+}p\to K^{+}{K}^{+}{\Sigma }^{\circ }$ for indications of a $K^{+}{K}^{+}$ resonance. We find no statistically significant evidence for such a resonance either in the $K^{+}{K}^{+}$ effective-mass distributions or in the spectrum of invariant momentum transfer to the hyperon. Calculation of a $K^{+}{K}^{+}$ scattering cross section from the data using a peripheral absorption model suggests ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{KK}}\approx \pi {{\lambda }_{\rho }}^2$, which is too small for a resonance at the previously reported mass of 1280 MeV/${\mathit{c}}^2$. In addition, we find considerable evidence that $K^{+}{K}^{+}$ scattering does not dominate the production mechanism and that instead the two $K\text{'}\mathrm{s}$ may originate from different vertices in a vector exchange model.