Measurement of the reaction $\gamma p \rightarrow K^ + \Sigma^{\pm}\pi^{\mp}$ at photon energies up to 2.6 GeV

The reactions $\gamma p \rightarrow K^{+}\Sigma^{\pm}\pi^{\mp}$ were studied with the SAPHIR detector using a tagged photon beam at the electron stretcher facility ELSA in Bonn. The decays $\Sigma^{-} \rightarrow n\pi^{-}$ and $\Sigma^{+} \rightarrow n\pi^{+}, p\pi^0$ 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 monotonously with increasing photon energy. The two-particle mass distributions of $\Sigma^{\pm}\pi^{\mp}$ and $K^+\pi^-$ show substantial production of resonant states.