The K π − system produced in the reaction K p → K 0 π − p at 4.2 GeV/ c is studied using high-statistics bubble-chamber data. The spin-parity structure is analysed as a function of the K 0 π − mass up to 1.52 GeV. Production of K ∗ (890) and K ∗ (1420) is observed in helicity-0 and helicity-1 states. Contributions of natural and unnatural parity exchange are present. Considerable S-wave production is observed over the whole mass region considered. We also study the t ′ dependence of the K ∗ (890) and K ∗ (1420) amplitudes. A comparison of our results on K ∗ (890) production with the results of an analysis of charge-exchange K ∗ (890) production, allows the separation of I = 0 and I = 1 exchange amplitudes. Some qualitative remarks are made concerning K ∗ (1420) production.

A partial-wave analysis of the low-mass ( π + π − p) system produced in the reaction K − p → K − ( π + π − p) at 4.2 GeV/ c incident momentum is performed in order to study the two ( π + π − p) enhancements around 1500 and 1700 MeV. It is found that the low-mass ( π + π − p) system can be described using the spin-parity states J P = 1 2 + , 3 2 − and 5 2 + only. In the 1500 MeV region contributions are observed from the 1 2 + wave decaying into pϵ and the 3 2 − wave decaying into Δ ++ π − ; in the 1700 MeV region contributions are found from the 1 2 + wave decaying into Δ ++ π − , the 3 2 − wave decaying into pϵ, and the 5 2 + wave decaying into pϵ.

An analysis is presented of the reaction K − p → K 0 π − p at 4.2 GeV /c incident momentum, using analytical techniques in fully dimensional phase space. This methods allows to isolate the contributions of the 0 + , 1 − and 2 + (K π ) partial waves in various helecity Separating well-understood contributions from the rest, the method is particularly useful for the detection of small effects (≈1% of the total final-state cross section) not visible in the mass distributions: (i) small cross-section contributions of 3 − (K π partial waves, K ∗ (1780), are unambiguously isolated; (ii) 3.5σ evidence is given for Σ(1480) in the (p K 0 ) system; (iii) effects due to a second K π P-wave or the possible presence of a doubly peripheral mechanism are discussed. The method furthermore allows simultaneous treatment of the (K π ) partial waves, p π ) partial waves and their interferences and of a Σ(1765) signal (with spin 5 2 ). While interferences within the (K π ) and within the (p π ) systems are strongly determining the corresponding distributions, no interference between these systems is needed.

Two-photon production of the exclusive final statesp\(\bar p\)+nπ (n=0, 1, 2, and 3) has been investigated using the ARGUS detector at thee+e− storage ring DORIS II at DESY. The reactionsγγ→p\(\bar p\)π andγγ→p\(\bar p\)π+π−π0 have been observed for the first time, as have theΔ++ and\(\overline {\Delta ^{ ++ } } \) baryons in the final statep\(\bar p\)π+π−. No evidence was found forΔ++\(\overline {\Delta ^{ ++ } } \) production. Topological cross sections for two-photon production ofp\(\bar p\),p\(\bar p\)π0,p\(\bar p\)π+π− andp\(\bar p\)π+π−π0, as well as the crosssection forγγ→Δ++\(\bar p\)π+π−+c.c., have been measured. Upper limits are given for the cross section forγγ→Δ0\(\overline {\Delta ^0 } \),γγ→Δ++\(\overline {\Delta ^{ ++ } } \) andγγ→Λ\(\bar \Lambda \).

A comparison is made of the properties and production mechanisms of the π + ω and K − ω systems produced in the reactions π + p → π + ω p at 4, 5, 8 and 16 GeV/ c and K − p → K − ω p at 10 and 16 GeV/ c . In the π + ω case apeak is observed at 1.23 GeV (the B meson), while the K − ω mass distribution has a threshold enhancement. The cross section of the low mass (<2.0 GeV) π + ω system falls as p lab −2 , while that of the low mass (<2.0 GeV) K − ω system is almost constant with energy, indicating diffractive production of the K − ω system, but not of the πω system. Using a modified version of the Illinois partial-wave analysis program, it is found that the K − ω system is dominantly produced in the J P = 1 + state with small contributions of 0 − and 2 + , mainly by natural parity exchange - as is found for reactions such as K − p → (K − π + π − )p which are predominantly diffractive. For the π + ω system in the B mass region, J P = 1 + states, produced mainly by natural parity exchange are found; the contributions of 0 − P, 1 − P, 2 − P and 2 + D are consistent with zero. The 1 + D state occurs in the π + ω case but not in the K − ω system, nor in the K ππ − system produced in the K − p → K ππ p reaction.

An enhancement in the (K − π + ) mass distribution at 1871 ± 10 MeV with full width of 285 ± 40 MeV is observed in the charge-exchange reaction K − p → K − π + n at 10 and 16 GeV/ c . The energy dependence of its cross section, the shape of the differential cross section d σ /d t and the decay angular distributions are consistent with a production mechanism by pion exchange. No significant enhancement at the same mass is seen in the non-charge exchange reaction K − p → (K π ) − p. The experimental evidence is reviewed and it is suggested that there may be more than one K ∗ enhancement in the 1700–1900 mass region.

We have studied the production and decay of the D(1285) meson in the reaction K − p→ Λ D at an incident K − momentum of 4.2 GeV/ c . The cross section for this reaction is 11 ± 3 μ b and the branching ratios D→ KK π /D → ηππ and D → 4 π /D → ηππ are found to be 0.42 ± 0.15 and 0.7 ± 0.5, respectively. The proportion of D → ηπ + π − going through the intermediate δ ± π ∓ states is 0.72 ± 0.15. Forward and backward exchange mechanisms are found to contribute in the ratio 3 : 2.

The reaction of K − p → Σ + (1660) π − was studied in a 65 event/μb sample of Σππ(π), Λππ(π) and p K 0 π − final states. The main production features observed are that the Σ (1660) decaying into Σππ is mostly Λ (1405) π and is produced only at small t ; the Σ (1660) decaying into Σπ shows both forward and backward production. This confirms earlier results suggesting the existence of two Σ (1660) resonances. An Adair analysis and a (model-dependent) moments analysis find a J = 3 2 preference for the Σ + (1660)→ Λ (1405) π + → Σ + π − π + ; a Dalitz-Miller analysis of the decay Σ + (1660) → Λ (1405) π + → Σ − π + π + determines J P to be 3 2 − . For the Σ + (1660) → Σ 0 π + a moments analysis suggests J = 3 2 . Branching ratios are determined, which (with the exceptation of the Λ (1405) π mode) are in reasonable agreement with results from formation experiments for the J P = 3 2 − Σ(1660) resonance. We compare our branching ratios with SU(3) and SU(6) predictions; the latter comparison suggests that, unless there is strong configuration mixing, Σ (1660) → Λ (1405) π , if 3 2 − , cannot be a member of the (70, 1 − ) multiplet.

Using a high statistics sample of K − p interactions at 4.2 GeV/ c , the production and decay properties of the Ξ ∗ (1820) are discussed. The mass and width are found to be M = (1823 ± 2) MeV and Γ = (21 ± 7) MeV. Evidence is found for Ξ ∗ (2030) in the Σ K ̄ channel and for a new Ξ ∗ at a mass of 2120 MeV in the ΛK − channel.

The reactions K − p → Ξ 0 − (1320) K 0 + , Ξ − (1320) K + (890), Ξ 0 − (1530) K 0 − and Ξ 0 − (1530) K 0 + (890) are studied at 4.2 GeV/ c incident momentum. The data come from a high-statistics bubble chamber experiment with a sensitivity of ∼ 133 events/ μ b. Total anddifferential cross sections are presented. The results are compared to the SU(3)-related processes K + p → pK + and K + p → pK + (890) in the backward hemisphere. In the forward hemisphere “forbidden” peaks are observed and current ideas about them are discussed.