Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Major/Program

Physics

First Advisor's Name

Oren V. Maxwell

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Stephan Mintz

Third Advisor's Name

Brian Raue

Date of Defense

7-9-2008

Abstract

The differential cross-section and polarization observables in the process γ + p --> K++ Λ are studied within an isobaric approach that includes resonances with total angular momentum J ≤ 5/2 over a center of mass energy range from W = 1.6 GeV to W=2.6 GeV. The model is used to fit recent experimental data as a function of the coupling products at the photon and strong vertices for the well established low energy resonances, as well as the total decay width for the high energy less well-established resonances.

The model employed in this study is based on an effective hadronic lagrangian using a tree-level approximation. The model uses Feynman diagrammatic techniques to extract the interaction vertices at a first order level in perturbation theory.

To extract the coupling strength products involved in the reaction, a X2- minimization technique is used to fit experimental data. The results suggests that both differential cross-section and double polarization observables need to be fit simultaneously to obtain an accurate description of the data. In addition, it was found that while resonances with angular momentum J= 5/2 do not couple strongly to the KΛ channel, higher energy states with J = 3/2 do couple strongly to the KΛ channel and are highly relevant for an accurate description of the data at energies beyond 1.9 GeV.

Identifier

FI14062219

Included in

Physics Commons

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