Eur. Phys. J. A (2011) 47: 46
https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2011-11046-y

Regular Article - Experimental Physics

Study of the reactions γp → K⁺ Σ^± π^∓ at photon energies up to 2.6 GeV

¹ Physikalisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
² Helmholtz-Institut für Strahlen- und Kernphysik, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany

Received: 3 November 2010
Revised: 28 January 2011
Published online: 4 April 2011

Abstract

The reactions γp → K⁺ Σ^± π^∓ were studied with the SAPHIR detector using a tagged photon beam at the electron stretcher facility ELSA in Bonn. The decays Σ ⁻ → nπ ⁻ and Σ ⁺ → nπ ⁺, pπ ⁰ were fully reconstructed. Reaction cross-sections were measured as a function of the photon energy from threshold up to 2.6 GeV with considerably improved statistics compared to a previous bubble chamber measurement. The cross-sections rise monotonically with increasing photon energy. The two-particle mass distributions of Σ ^± π ^∓ and K ⁺ π ⁻ show substantial production of resonant states.