Kaon and pion production in central Si+Au collisions at 14.6<i>A</i>GeV/<i>c</i>

Semi-inclusive spectra of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, ${K}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, and p have been measured near midrapidity for central collisions of 14.6A-GeV/c $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$ with $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ nuclei. The invariant cross sections are all well fit by exponential distributions in transverse mass, within the measured ranges. The \ensuremath{\pi} and K cross sections can also be fit by Boltzmann distributions. From integrated yields, at midrapidity, the kaon/pion yield ratios are (19.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3)% for ${K}^{+}$/${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ and (3.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.8)% for ${K}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$/${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$; the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$/${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ ratio is 1.00\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04.