First measurement of $\mathrm{D_{s1}}(1^{+})(2536)^+$ and $\mathrm{D_{s2}^{*}(2^{+})(2573)^+}$ production in proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV at the LHC

The production yields of the orbitally excited charm-strange mesons $\mathrm{D_{s1}(1^{+})(2536)^+}$ and $\mathrm{D_{s2}^{*}(2^{+})(2573)^+}$ were measured for the first time in proton--proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} =13$ TeV with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The $\mathrm{D_{s1}^+}$ and $\mathrm{D_{s2}^{*+}}$ mesons were measured at midrapidity ($|y|<0.5$) in minimum-bias and high-multiplicity pp collisions in the transverse-momentum interval $2 < p_{\rm T} < 24$ GeV/$c$. Their production yields relative to the $\mathrm{D_{s}^{+}}$ ground-state yield were found to be compatible between minimum-bias and high-multiplicity collisions, as well as with previous measurements in $\mathrm{e^\pm p}$ and $\mathrm{e^{+}e^{-}}$ collisions. The measured $\mathrm{D_{s1}^+/D_{s}^{+}}$ and $\mathrm{D_{s2}^{*+}/D_{s}^{+}}$ yield ratios are described by statistical hadronization models and can be used to tune the parameters governing the production of excited charm-strange hadrons in Monte Carlo generators, such as PYTHIA 8.