Experimental study of the $\gamma p \rightarrow K^{0}\Sigma^{+}$, $\gamma n \rightarrow K^{0} \Lambda$, and $\gamma n \rightarrow K^{0} \Sigma^{0}$ reactions at the Mainz Microtron

Abstract.

This work measured $\mathrm{d}\sigma/\mathrm{d}\Omega$ for neutral kaon photoproduction reactions from threshold up to a c.m. energy of 1855MeV, focussing specifically on the $\gamma p\rightarrow K^0\Sigma^+$, $\gamma n\rightarrow K^0\Lambda$, and $\gamma n\rightarrow K^0 \Sigma^0$ reactions. Our results for $\gamma n\rightarrow K^0 \Sigma^0$ are the first-ever measurements for that reaction. These data will provide insight into the properties of $N^{\ast}$ resonances and, in particular, will lead to an improved knowledge about those states that couple only weakly to the $\pi N$ channel. Integrated cross sections were extracted by fitting the differential cross sections for each reaction as a series of Legendre polynomials and our results are compared with prior experimental results and theoretical predictions.