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.
Total cross section for the reaction GAMMA P --> K+ LAMBDA.
Total cross section for the reaction GAMMA P --> K+ SIGMA0.
Differential cross section for the reaction GAMMA P --> K+ LAMBDA in the GAMMA energy range 0.90 to 1.10 GeV in three energy bins.
For the reaction γ p → K + Λ 0 the differential cross section has been measured at t = −0.147 GeV 2 ( θ C.M. = 26.5 ± 3.5°) and photoenergies between 1.05 and 2.2 GeV and for the reaction γ p→K + Σ 0 at ≈−0.17 GeV 2 ( θ C.M. = 28±3.5°) and photoenergies between 1.3 and 2.2 GeV. For this four momentum transfer the differential cross section of K + Λ 0 photoproduction has a surprising steep increase above threshold and stays nearly constant up to 2.2 GeV. The K + Σ 0 cross section increases from 1.3 to 1.56 GeV and goes down gradually at higher energies.
AT CONSTANT MOMENTUM TRANSFER OF -T = 0.147 GEV**2.
AT APPROXIMATELY CONSTANT MOMENTUM TRANSFER OF -T = 0.17 GEV**2.
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