N. Kumagai

Evidence for a narrow S = +1 baryon resonance in photoproduction from the neutron

The gamman-->K(+)K(-)n reaction on 12C has been studied by measuring both K+ and K- at forward angles. A sharp baryon resonance peak was observed at 1.54+/-0.01 GeV/c(2) with a width smaller than 25 MeV/c(2) and a Gaussian significance of 4.6sigma. The strangeness quantum number (S) of the baryon resonance is +1. It can be interpreted as a molecular meson-baryon resonance or alternatively as an exotic five-quark state (uuddsmacr;) that decays into a K+ and a neutron. The resonance is consistent with the lowest member of an antidecuplet of baryons predicted by the chiral soliton model.

Beam polarization asymmetries for the p(gamma, K+) Lambda and p(gamma, K+) Sigma0 reactions at E(gamma) = 1.5 Gev - 2.4 GeV

Beam polarization asymmetries for the p(gamma-->,K+)Lambda and p(gamma-->,K+)Sigma(0) reactions are measured for the first time for E(gamma)=1.5-2.4 GeV and 0.6<cos((theta(c.m.)(K+))<1.0 by using linearly polarized photons at the Laser-Electron-Photon facility at SPring-8 (LEPS). The observed asymmetries are positive and gradually increase with rising photon energy. The data are not consistent with theoretical predictions based on tree-level effective-Lagrangian approaches. Including the new results in the development of the models is, therefore, crucial for understanding the reaction mechanism and to test the presence of baryon resonances which are predicted in quark models but are thus far undiscovered.

The γ→p→K+Λ and γ→p→K+Σ0 reactions at forward angles with photon energies from 1.5 to 2.4 GeV

Differential cross sections and photon beam asymmetries for the gamma p rightarrow K+ Lambda and gamma p rightarrow K+ Sigma0 reactions have been measured in the photon energy range from 1.5 GeV to 2.4 GeV and in the angular range from Theta_{cm} = 0 to 60 of the K+ scattering angle in the center of mass system at the SPring-8/LEPS facility. The photon beam asymmetries for both the reactions have been found to be positive and to increase with the photon energy. The measured differential cross sections agree with the data measured by the CLAS collaboration at cosTheta_{cm} 0.9. In the K+Lambda reaction, the resonance-like structure found in the CLAS and SAPHIR data at W=1.96 GeV is confirmed. The differential cross sections at forward angles suggest a strong K-exchange contribution in the t-channel for the K+Lambda reaction, but not for the K+Sigma0 reaction.

Near-Threshold Diffractive phi (variant)-Meson Photoproduction from the Proton

Photoproduction of a {phi} meson on protons was studied by means of linearly polarized photons at forward angles in the low-energy region from threshold to E{sub {gamma}}=2.37 GeV. The differential cross sections at t=- vertical bar t vertical bar{sub min} do not increase smoothly as E{sub {gamma}} increases but show a local maximum at around 2.0 GeV. The angular distributions demonstrate that {phi} mesons are photoproduced predominantly by helicity-conserving processes, and the local maximum is not likely due to unnatural-parity processes.

Near-threshold Λ(1520) production by the γ→p→K +Λ(1520) reaction at forward K+ angles

Differential cross sections and photon-beam asymmetries for the gamma(p)-->K{+}Lambda(1520) reaction have been measured with linearly polarized photon beams at energies from the threshold to 2.4 GeV at 0.6 or=5/2 or by a new reaction process, for example, an interference effect with the phi photoproduction having a similar bump structure in the cross sections.

Search for

A search forKpp bound state (the lightest kaonic nucleus) has been performe d using theγd → KπX reaction at Eγ=1.5-2.4 GeV at LEPS / Pring-8. The di fferential cross section of Kπ photo-production o ff deuterium has been measured for the first time in this energy region, and a bump st ructure was searched for in the inclusive missing mass spectrum. A statistically significant bump structure was no t observed in the region from 2.22 to 2.36 GeV /c2, and the upper limits of the di fferential cross section for the Kpp bound state production were determined to be 0.1 − 7μ b (95% confidence level) for a set of assumed binding energy and width values.

K^-pp

The Sigma(1385) resonance, or Sigma;{*}, is well known as part of the standard baryon decuplet with spin J=3/2. Measurements of the reaction gammap-->K;{+}Sigma;{*0} are difficult to extract due to overlap with the nearby Lambda(1405) resonance. However, the reaction gamman-->K;{+}Sigma;{*-} has no overlap with the Lambda(1405) due to its charge. Here we report the first measurement of cross sections and beam asymmetries for photoproduction of the Sigma;{*-} from a deuteron target. The cross sections at forward angles range from 0.4 to 1.2 mub, with a broad maximum near E_{gamma} approximately 1.8 GeV. The beam asymmetries are negative, in contrast with positive values for the gamman-->K;{+}Sigma;{-} reaction.

bound state via

Photoproduction of Lambda(1520) with liquid hydrogen and deuterium targets was examined at photon energies below 2.4 GeV in the SPring-8 LEPS experiment. For the first time, the differential cross sections were measured at low energies and with a deuterium target. A large asymmetry of the production cross sections from protons and neutrons was observed at backward K+/0 angles. This suggests the importance of the contact term, which coexists with t-channel K exchange under gauge invariance. This interpretation was compatible with the differential cross sections, decay asymmetry, and photon beam asymmetry measured in the production from protons at forward K+ angles.

\gamma d \rightarrow K^+ \pi^-X

Differential cross sections and photon-beam asymmetries have been measured for the gamma n --> K+ Sigma- and gamma p --> K+Sigma0 reactions separately using liquid deuterium and hydrogen targets with incident linearly polarized photon beams of E gamma = 1.5-2.4 GeV at 0.6 < cos ThetacmK< 1. The cross section ratio of sigma K+ Sigma-/sigma K+ Sigma0, expected to be 2 on the basis of the isospin 1/2 exchange, is found to be close to 1. For the K+ Sigma- reaction, large positive asymmetries are observed, indicating the dominance of K* exchange. The large difference between the asymmetries for the K+ Sigma- and K+ Sigma0 reactions cannot be explained by simple theoretical considerations based on Regge model calculations.

reaction at

Abstract Differential cross sections and decay asymmetries for coherent ϕ -meson photoproduction from deuterons were measured for the first time at forward angles using linearly polarized photons at E γ = 1.5 – 2.4 GeV . This reaction offers a unique way to directly access natural-parity pomeron dynamics and gluon exchange at low energies. The cross sections at zero degrees increase with increasing photon energy. The decay asymmetries demonstrate a complete dominance of natural-parity exchange processes, showing that isovector unnatural-parity π -meson exchange is small. Nevertheless the deduced cross sections of ϕ -mesons from nucleons contributed by isoscalar t -channel exchange processes are not well described by the conventional pomeron model.