Isospin analysis of exchange mechanisms and (ΣK) systems in nn→(ΣK)N at 6 GeV/c

Using new data on the reactions np→Σ−K+p and np→Σ0K0p total of seven independent charge channels for the basic reaction NN→(ΣK)N has been investigated to obtain a constrained solution for the three isospin amplitudes and their relative phases at 6 GeV/c. The amplitude for production of an I=32(ΣK) system by isovector exchange is the largest, the associated (ΣK) mass distribution showing evidence for Δ (1950) production. Both the I=12 and I=32 (ΣK) mass distributions produced by isovector exchange agree qualitatively with one-pion exchange predictions using experimental πN→ΣK cross sections. Isoscalar exchange accounts for only about 20% of the total reaction amplitude.