PRODUCTION OF K+ MESONS IN 2.1 GeV/nucleon NUCLEAR COLLISIONS

K/sup +/ meson production by 2.1-GeV/nucleon Ne, d, and p projectiles on NaF and Pb targets has been measured. The cross sections depend exponentially upon the kaon energy in the nucleon-nucleon c.m. frame, with an inverse slope T/sub 0/ larger than the values obtained from comparable proton and ..pi../sup -/ spectra. The angular distribution in this frame is approximately isotropic. We find that sigma(Ne+Pb..-->..K/sup +/X)/sigma(Ne+NaF ..-->.. K/sup +/X) >sigma(d+Pb..-->..K/sup +/X)/sigma(d+NaF..-->..K/sup +/X). Data are compared with theoretical predictions.