The reaction pp → K + Λp was measured exclusively at the cooler synchrotron COSY at beam momenta of p Beam = 2.50 GeV/c and p Beam = 2.75 GeV/c using the TOF detector. Angular and momentum distributions were obtained for the full phase space of the reaction products. Total cross sections were extracted to be (2.7 ± 0.3) μ b and (12.0 ± 0.4) μ b, respectively. The polarization of the Λ -hyperon was determined as a function of its transversal momentum and was found to be negative for transverse momentum transfers of p T ≥ 0.3 GeV/c. The results together with existing data are compared with phenomenological parametrizations and model calculations on the basis of meson exchange.
In a study of K + p interactions at 12.7 GeV/ c we have carried out a search for meson resonances having any one of the following properties: (a) a strangeness of S =2, (b) S =1 and isotopic spin of I= 3 2 , or (c) S =1, I= 1 2 and decaying into an antihyperon ( Y ) and a nucleon (N).
Associated strangeness production in the reactions γp → K + Λ and γp → K + Σ 0 was measured with the SAPHIR detector at the electron stretcher ring ELSA at Bonn. Data on total and differential cross sections and on hyperon polarizations are presented. The total cross section for Λ production shows a strong threshold enhancement whereas the Σ 0 data have a maximum at about E γ =1.45 GeV. Along with the angular decomposition of the differential cross section into polynomials, this suggests resonance production. However, the angular distributions of both hyperon polarizations vary only slightly with the photon energy. Λ and Σ 0 polarizations show opposite signs and change sign over the angular range.
A 12 event/μb bubble chamber experiment on K − p interactions at 3.95 GeV/ c yielded 1212 events including systems with strangeness S = −2. Results concerning cascade resonances with masses less than 2000 MeV are reported; in particular a determination of the mass and width of the Ξ o 1530 and an interpretation of the mass region (1700–/) 2000) MeV.
The reactions gamma p --> K+ Lambda and gamma p --> K+ Sigma0 were measured in the energy range from threshold up to a photon energy of 2.6 GeV. The data were taken with the SAPHIR detector at the electron stretcher facility, ELSA. Results on cross sections and hyperon polarizations are presented as a function of kaon production angle and photon energy. The total cross section for Lambda production rises steeply with energy close to threshold, whereas the Sigma0 cross section rises slowly to a maximum at about E_gamma = 1.45 GeV. Cross sections together with their angular decompositions into Legendre polynomials suggest contributions from resonance production for both reactions. In general, the induced polarization of Lambda has negative values in the kaon forward direction and positive values in the backward direction. The magnitude varies with energy. The polarization of Sigma0 follows a similar angular and energy dependence as that of Lambda, but with opposite sign.
The experimental setup and detection technique of the COSY-11 installation, an internal experimental facility at the cooler synchrotron and storage ring COSY Jülich, are described. The detection system has been designed for meson production studies with full geometrical acceptance close to threshold. Preliminary results of first measurements are presented, emphasis is put on strangeness production in the reactions pp → ppK + K − and pp → pK + Λ .
A systematic search for exotic states produced in K − d interactions at 3 GeV/ c is reported. From the analysis of the mass spectra of strange mesons, non-strange mesons, hyperons with S = −1 and S = −2, upper limits for the production cross sections of exotic resonances may be placed at one or two orders of magnitude smaller than for the production of normal resonances of same strangeness and baryon number.
Results on the following π−p reactions involving a hyperon are studied at 4.5 and 6.0 GeV/c from a high-statistics bubble-chamber experiment. (1) π−p→(Λ, Σ0)K0: Differential cross sections and hyperon polarizations are presented. Comparison with the line-reversed reactions K¯N→(Λ, Σ0)π indicates the failure of the predictions of K*(890) and K*(1420) exchange degeneracy. Effective trajectories for these two reactions are compared. Shrinkage is observed in K¯N→Λπ and not in π−p→ΛK0. (2) π−p→(Λ, Σ0)K*(890)0: Differential cross sections, hyperon polarizations, and K*(890)0 density-matrix elements are determined. ΛK*(890)0 decay correlations are found to impose strong constraints on the scattering amplitudes. The data indicate that both natural- and unnatural-parity exchanges contribute large, but opposite, Λ polarizations. This behavior cannot be explained by a simple exchange model utilizing K and the exchange-degenerate K*(890) and K*(1420) only. Additional trajectories or absorption effects are required to obtain the observed Λ-polarization effects. Comparison of ΛK*(890)0 and Σ0K*(890)0 indicates the greater importance of unnatural-parity exchange in the former reaction. We observe no evidence for deviations from isospin predictions in ΛK*(890)0 production where K*(890)0→K+π− and KS0π0. (3) π−p→ΛK*(1420)0 and ΛK*(1300)0: K*(1420)0 density-matrix elements satisfying positivity constraints are determined allowing for s-wave interference effects. Evidence of the existence of a narrow K*(1300)0→Kππ with a dominant K+ρ− decay mode is observed in the 4.5- and 6-GeV/c data. (4) Σ(1385), Λ(1405), Λ(1520) production: Differential cross sections for the quasi-two-body reactions π−p→Y0K0, where Y0 is Λ(1405), Λ(1520), or Σ(1385)0, are presented and found to have a very similar flat slope in the forward direction. Data for forward K+ scattering in the reaction π−p→Σ(1385)−K+ are presented and discussed. It is argued that this forward peak cannot be explained by kinematic reflection or an s-channel effect and therefore must be due to either two-particle exchange or a single exotic exchange in the t channel.
A tagged photon beam (2.8<Eγ<4.8 GeV) and multiparticle spectrometer have been used to study the photoproduction in hydrogen ofK+Λ(1520). Precise values for the mass and width of the Λ(1520) are given. The total cross-section is found to fall with increasing photon energy like (6.5±0.7)Eγ−(2.1±0.2) μb. The differential cross sectiondσ/dt indicates peripheral forward production and exhibits no evidence for shrinkage when compared with higher energy data. The Λ(1520) spin density matrix shows thatK exchange alone cannot account for the production mechanism. The reaction is found to resemble the process γp→K+ Λ(1115) in all measurable respects.
The PS185 experiment at LEAR/CERN has investigated strangeness production in antiproton-proton collisions with final states such as $\overline{\Lambda} \Lambda$, $\overline{\Sigma}^0 \Lambda + c.c$, $\overline{\Sigma^+} \Sigma^+$, $\overline{\Sigma^-} \Sigma^-$ and $K_S K_S$. Results are presented from a study of about 32,000 {$K_S K_S X$} events obtained at several antiproton momenta in the regions of 1.45 and 1.7 GeV/c. The $\overline{p} p \to K_S K_S \eta$ cross sections extracted at these momenta constitute the first measurement of this reaction in flight and are broadly consistent with expectations of a phase-space extrapolation of branching ratios from annihilation at rest.
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