$\eta^{\prime}$ production in proton-proton scattering close to threshold}

The $pp \to pp \eta^{\prime}$ (958) reaction has been measured at COSY using the internal beam and the COSY-11 facility. The total cross sections at the four different excess energies \mbox{$Q = ~1.5 ~MeV, ~1.7 ~MeV, ~2.9 ~MeV,$ and $~4.1 MeV$} have been evaluated to be \mbox{$\sigma = 2.5 \pm 0.5~nb$, $~~~ 2.9 \pm 1.1~nb$, $~~~ 12.7 \pm 3.2~nb$, ~ and $~~~ 25.2 \pm 3.6 ~nb$}, respectively. In this region of excess energy the $\eta^{\prime}$ (958) cross sections are much lower compared to those of the $\pi ^0$ and $\eta$ production.