Strangeness production in heavy ion reactions at intermediate energies

Kaon production, in particular $K^+$ production in heavy ion collisions at intermediate energies is discussed. Main emphasis is put on the question if subthreshold $K^+$ production can serve as a suitable tool to test the high density phase of such reactions and to deliver information on the high density behavior of the nuclear equation of state. It is shown that the $K^+$ excitation function in heavy ($Au+Au$) over light ($C+C$) systems provides a robust observable which, by comparison to data, strongly favors a soft equation of state. A second question of interest is the existence of an in-medium kaon potential as predicted by effective chiral Lagrangiens. Here it is argued that transport calculations support this scenario with, in the meantime, a significant level of consistency.

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