New results for the production of Λ and Σ⁰ hyperons in antineutrino scattering from protons

Abstract

We obtain total and differential cross-sections for the strangeness changing charged current reactions $\bar v_L$ +p → Λ+L ⁺ and $\bar v_L$+p → Σ ⁰+L ⁺, where L is a charged lepton, either an electron, muon or tau. We do this by making use of the standard dipole form factors normally used and of the new form factors recently obtained from recoil proton measurements in electron-proton electromagnetic scattering. We also obtain the contributions of the individual form factors to the total and differential cross-sections for both sets of form factors. We find that the differential and total cross-sections for Λ production change only slightly between the two sets of form factors but that the differential and total cross-sections change substantially for Σ ⁰ production. We discuss the possibility of distinguishing between the two cases for the experiments planned by the MINERvA Collaboration.