>From a sample of $2722 \pm 78$ $\Lambda_c~+$ decaying to the $pK~-\pi~+$ final state, we have observed, in the hadroproduction experiment E791 at Fermilab, $143 \pm 20$ $\Sigma_c~0$ and $122 \pm 18$ $\Sigma_c~{++}$ through their decays to $\Lambda_c~+ \pi~{\pm}$. The mass difference $M(\Sigma_c~0) - M(\Lambda_c~+$) is measured to be $(167.38\pm 0.29\pm 0.15)\,\mbox{MeV}$; for $M(\Sigma_c~{++}) - M(\Lambda_c~+)$, we find $(167.76\pm 0.29\pm0.15)\,\mbox{MeV}$. The rate of $\Lambda_c~+$ production from decays of the $\Sigma_c$ triplet is $(22\pm 2\pm 3)\,\mbox{\%}$ of the total $\Lambda_c~+$ production assuming equal rate of production from all three, as measured for $\Sigma_c~0$ and $\Sigma_c~{++}$. We do not observe a statistically significant $\Sigma_c$ baryon-antibaryon production asymmetry. The $x_F$ and $p_t~2$ spectra of $\Lambda_c~+$ from $\Sigma_c$ decays are observed to be similar to those for all $\Lambda_c~+$'s produced.
We present a measurement of asymmetries in the production of $\Lambda_c^+$ and $\Lambda_c^-$ baryons in 500 GeV/c $\pi^-$--nucleon interactions from the E791 experiment at Fermilab. The asymmetries were measured as functions of Feynman x ($x_F$) and transverse momentum squared ($p_T^2$) using a sample of $1819 \pm 62$ $\Lambda_c$'s observed in the decay channel $\Lambda_c \to pK^-\pi^+$. We observe more $\Lambda_c^+$ than $\Lambda_c^-$ baryons, with an asymmetry of $(12.7\pm3.4\pm1.3) %$ independent of $x_F$ and $p_T^2$ in our kinematical range $(-0.1 < x_F < 0.6$ and $0.0 < p_T^2 < 8.0 (GeV/c)^2$). This $\Lambda_c$ asymmetry measurement is the first with data in both the positive and negative $x_F$ regions.
This paper presents measurements of the production of Ds- mesons relative to Ds+ mesons as functions of x_F and square of p_t for a sample of 2445 Ds decays to phi pi. The Ds mesons were produced in Fermilab experiment E791 with 500 GeV/c pi- mesons incident on one platinum and four carbon foil targets. The acceptance-corrected integrated asymmetry in the x_F range -0.1 to 0.5 for Ds+- mesons is 0.032 +- 0.022 +- 0.022, consistent with no net asymmetry. The results, as functions of x_F and square of p_t, are compared to predictions and to the large production asymmetry observed for D+- mesons in the same experiment. These comparisons support the hypothesis that production asymmetries come from the fragmentation process and not from the charm quark production itself.
Using data from Fermilab fixed-target experiment E791, we have measured particle-antiparticle production asymmetries for lambda zero, cascade minus, and omega minus hyperons in pi minus-nucleon interactions at 500 GeV/c. The asymmetries are measured as functions of Feynman-x (x_F) and pt^2 over the ranges of -0.12 GE x_F LE 0.12 and 0 GE pt^2 LE 4 (GeV/c)^2. We find substantial asymmetries, even at x_F = 0. We also observe leading-particle- type asymmetries which qualitatively agree with theoretical predictions.